Life returns to San Bernardino County after lifting mask mandate

The uplift of the mask mandate brought back life to the local community of Rancho Cucamonga with families celebrating live music, food, and drinks at Haven City.

The community was able to have a taste of old times after San Bernardino County made masks optional. With the mask mandate being lifted, there were many people who wanted to participate in something that made life feel normal again.

On March 14, many people were intrigued by the atmosphere of Haven City Market and decided to spend their evening there. Inside, the market was buzzing with people examining the different cultural food and dessert options from vendors, thinking about which option to sink their teeth into. There were also many games available for couples and families, such as card games, basketball arcade games, and pinball machines.

Outside, the main event was the band, Silly Rabbit, performing a variety of remastered 80’s jazz music. The band members lifted the spirits of the crowd with their songs and by engaging in conversation with the crowd between songs. Every table was filled with family and friends enjoying their food and beverages. There were children playing a jumbo version of Jenga, friends dancing to the band’s remastered version of “Smooth Operator” by Sade, and couples embracing each other while watching the show. There were even some friendly tails wagging under the tables at this “backyard” event. 

Dionna, a guest found in the outside crowd, was seated with her family to celebrate a birthday. She mentioned they chose Haven City because of the food options. Dionna also mentioned that she has only come once before, but her experience this past weekend was better.

“I am really glad that I came to the market tonight. I wasn’t aware the band, Silly Rabbit, was going to perform, but I am thrilled that they did! The birthday party we were celebrating ended early but we still stood around because the band really knows how to put on a good show. This is one of the most memorable things my family and I have done since the mandate uplifting. It gave us the impression that things were back to normal again,” said Dionna.

Shuci Zhang, another member of the crowd, also enjoyed the night with her friend. Zhang mentioned that she was a student and podcaster at The Webb School. “It was a coincidence that we were here on the night of the live band. I am from out of town. My school has an event where the teachers celebrate with the students and this was the place that was chosen. I am also personally celebrating my progress with my podcast ‘Calm & Furious.’ I would love to come here again with some friends and enjoy the atmosphere,” said Zhang.

Melissa Rodriguez also attended the event. She mentioned that she was a local and regularly attends the live music sessions at Haven City. She thought this was a great way to expand her music interest and have a great time locally. “The live music here is always from 7 to 9 p.m.. The timing is perfect for me because I have enough time to attend after work or on a busy day. I also prefer not to drive far if I don’t have to. Luckily, this place is close enough to attend if I feel like going out, but not far.” said Rodriguez. “The music here is great and I try my best to go to at least one performance from all of the different bands that play here. I think the live music aspect ties the atmosphere together. There hasn’t been many concerts since the start of COVID-19 and seeing all the smiling faces in the crowd makes it feel somewhat normal again.”

By the turn out of the event, it is safe to say the community is slowly, but surely, starting to come back to life. Hopefully this will be the start of more fun opportunities during the spring and summer housed at other local establishments. For now, don’t worry if you missed out on the action at Haven City, there are plenty more events to come in the future!