Ember Orlando’s Sunday Surrender announces return date

(Above image from Sunday Surrender at Ember’s Facebook)

ORLANDO | Ember’s Sunday Surrender, the biggest LGBTQ Sunday Funday party in downtown Orlando, is relaunching Aug. 16 after shutting down in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sunday Surrender creator and promoter, Nick Smith made the announcement on Facebook Aug. 6.

“When we first closed our doors … we didn’t know when we would be back,” Smith wrote. “Many people have asked why [Ember] didn’t remain open since we are actually a restaurant first and foremost. There are a number of reasons. But frankly, just because we could open doesn’t mean we should have.”

While Ember’s Sunday Surrender will be reopening, Smith states that his other two Sunday Funday parties — Runway Sundays at Chillers and Situation Sundays at Latitudes — will continue to remain closed until further notice.

After its initial closure in March, Sunday Surrender reopened in June for one day before a mandate from Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation suspended “on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide” on June 26.

“Sunday Surrender at Ember will return with not only the same precautions as before but with even tighter regulations,” Smith wrote. “Management and myself will still check temperatures, maintain sanitary/socially distanced seating, exclude seating at the bars minus those who are handicapped, and provide a limited capacity venue for only the amount of seats within the venue both indoors and outdoors.”

Smith also stated “masks are required anytime you walk into the venue” and can only be removed when seated at your table eating or drinking.

“The safety of my guests, my staff and what is ultimately (as a promoter) my business comes first,” Smith wrote.

Along with Sunday Surrender beginning Aug. 16, Ember announced it will officially reopen Aug. 7 at 4 p.m. with its popular Sunday Brunch accepting reservations for Aug. 9.

For more information, visit the “Ember Orlando” and “Sunday Surrender at Ember” Facebook pages.

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