SALISBURY, Md.- The 80th National Folk Festival is back. Attendees must wear a mask, which is welcome news to Kim Cole.
"I think it's a great idea to reduce transmission I think we're in a surge right now and it's smart to wear a mask. And it's even smarter to get a vaccination," said Cole.
Cole says the pandemic has exhausted her and her co-workers, who administer COVID-19 tests.
"I perform COVID testing and we've really felt the strain of this whole pandemic and we would love to be doing less testing if it were- if it were not so necessary that would be a good thing for us," said Cole.
Thomas Phillips says he doesn't like the mask mandate.
"I probably wouldn't wanna wear it I'm outside it's supposed to be hot here soon and it's just, I'm over it all I've gotten my shots I'm all good," said Phillips.
In fact, he believes it's wrong.
"That's definitely wrong. You don't go outside your house you don't go in your neighborhood you don't go anywhere outside without a mask no one does it," said Phillips.
Phillips says he was going to attend the Folk Festival but has changed his mind.
"My mom and I are both sick of it once I tell her there's going to be a mandatory mask she's gonna wanna turn around too, " said Phillips.
But Tom Thompson says he hopes people follow the rules put into place.
"If you can't do it for yourself do it for me," said Thompson.
The 80th National Folk Festival starts Friday and goes to Sunday evening. The event schedule is on it's website.
