A sold-out Hamptons charity concert headlined by the Chainsmokers was slammed on social media after large crowds seemingly ignored social distancing guidelines over the weekend.
The event in Water Mill, N.Y., was designed to allow concertgoers to enjoy the show from inside their vehicles or just outside of them within the lines of a parking spot.
But images of concertgoers not wearing face masks and groups congregating outside of their designated spots quickly went viral, including one video that has generated millions of views as of Monday afternoon.
The parking spot tickets provided a 20-by-20 or 20-by-15 space, with some tickets going as high as $25,000. Attendees were only permitted to leave their assigned area to use the bathroom, but the rule was broken by many attendees.
“I am at a loss as to how the Town of Southampton could have issued a permit for such an event, how they believed it was legal and not an obvious public health threat,” New York State Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker wrote in a letter to the town supervisor, adding that the state will be investigating the event.
The benefit concert was held to raise money for several charities, including No Kid Hungry, Southampton Fresh Air Home, and the Children’s Medical Fund of New York.
—Updated at 7:15 p.m.