YOUNGSTOWN - Nearly 400,000 people crammed into Chicago's Grant Park last month for the Lollapalooza Music Festival.

In most any other year, it'd be something to celebrate. In this era of COVID, it's almost cringeworthy.
 
The venue's ticket agency, Live Nation Entertainment, used it as an opportunity.
 
It mandated patrons be fully vaccinated or show a negative COVID test to get in.
 
Live Nation also handles events at the Covelli Centre and Youngstown Foundation Amphitheater.
 
But if you're wondering if you can expect the same mandate, Covelli Centre brass say the jury's still out.
 
In a statement Monday, JAC Management said in part "if individual promoters require additional protocols such as proof of vaccination or negative tests, we will follow their guidelines. At the current time we are not setting holistic requirements for all of our events."
 
The head of Live Nation, however, says vaccines will be the "ticket back to shows".
 
Local marketing expert Jeff Hedrich says that mantra could work, since 12 percent of Lollapalooza attendees said it was their sole reason for getting the shot, but it could also backfire.
 
Health officials in our area say it's a chance worth taking.
 
"We're doing incentives right now for people that get vaccinated a $100 Visa gift card and a free voucher to any of the concerts at the amphitheater, and we have seen an increase in people getting vaccinated," says Youngstown city health commissioner Erin Bishop.
 
Mahoning County Public Health commissioner Ryan Tekac says the county is also planning an incentive program.
That may roll out as soon as next week.
 
Meanwhile - JAC says it will keep ticketholders for events at Covelli or the amphitheater in the loop as dates draw near.