Kennedy Center says nightclub pop-up will not open this weekend

The Kennedy Center announced Wednesday that the opening of a pop-up nightclub on its terrace that has been widely reported will not go forward this weekend. 

A Washington, D.C., entertainment company called the pop-up “a grand, socially responsible experiment in restoring much-needed life to the Washington scene” in a statement Monday, saying it would open Saturday.

But the Kennedy Center clarified on Wednesday that it will undergo “further evaluation” for safety before hosting the pop-up. 

“The Kennedy Center has determined the opening of the Heist pop-up, an outdoor rental event, will not take place this weekend (October 3) to allow for further evaluation and to ensure such gatherings meet our building’s health and safety standards as well as respect the city’s latest reopening guidelines,” the Kennedy Center said in a statement.

“The Center’s recent and successful return to hosting live performance at reduced capacity required months of rigorous planning. Likewise, we hold outside parties renting our spaces to the same high level of scrutiny and precautionary planning, and more time is needed to fully assess these plans.”

The Kennedy Center is one of six venues that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced last week would be able to host in-person events during the pandemic.