This is How Hundreds of Thousands of Americans Spent the Summer of 2021 -- During the Worst Pandemic Since 1918

Lollapalooza Music Festival, Chicago’s Grant Park, July 29 through August 1, 2021

By Pam Martens and Russ Martens: August 19, 2021 ~

The Lollapalooza Music Festival was held at Chicago’s Grant Park from Thursday, July 29 through Sunday, August 1. An estimated 100,000 people crowded into the event on each of its four days. A large segment of those attending were not wearing masks and social distancing averaged about 6 inches to zero.

Sturgis, South Dakota Motorcycle Rally, August 6-15, 2021

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally took place in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 6 through August 15. The South Dakota Department of Transportation reported that a total of 525,768 vehicles entered the rally, using nine locations, for the combined 10 days of the event. The majority of the attendees did not wear masks. Social distancing was not practiced on the streets, in bars or in restaurants.

Even the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, threw himself a big birthday bash on Saturday evening, August 7, at his $12 million waterfront mansion on Martha’s Vineyard. A sprawling tent was set up for indoor dining.

And elsewhere on beaches, in bars, restaurants, concerts, and house parties, there was little recognition that COVID-19 was still raging across the United States.