ROTHENBURGER – Hot Nite was a welcome break but this pandemic isn’t over
KAMLOOPS — IT WAS SURREAL to walk downtown on Saturday through the throngs attending Hot Nite in the City. It actually wasn’t hot, with temperatures in the 20s, and it wasn’t night, since it wrapped up at 5, but it was certainly busy.
Really busy. The word ‘surreal’ applies because, while it was real, it was something we haven’t had a chance to experience for almost two years. Since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, we’ve been used to avoiding crowds, staying away from each other. This was like old times.
So, surreal, yes, but also unsettling. There was hardly a mask in sight. Not a hint of social distancing. This was an opportunity to break out of the pandemic stew, and thousands did so.