OXON HILL, Md. (DC News Now) — There’s no love this Valentine’s Day for kids hanging out at National Harbor, the popular Maryland destination that started its first night of a youth curfew on Friday.
Anyone under 18 must be with an adult. Parents and businesses that break the rules could be fined up to $250.
An identical curfew was in place for six months in 2024. That past experience presumably means the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) knows how it will enforce it; though this time, the enforcement comes during a busy weekend.
The curfew, which is in place from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for the next six months, began on Valentine’s Day night.
“I love the curfew,” said Linda Bowles, who lives in D.C. and was at National Harbor Friday night. “It was just getting out of control. Parents dropping kids off like this is daycare.”
PGPD told DC News Now that minors had recently been caught shoplifting and fighting in the area, leading to the curfew.
Jada Winchester, who works at The Yard Milkshake Bar, said she is optimistic about the impact of the curfew.
“When there isn’t a youth curfew, I do want to say a little bit more of chaotic things do tend to happen here,” she said. “I hope with the youth curfew it does tend to make you think, ‘Okay, this is somewhere we can have fun, we can let loose, but it’s not somewhere that you can really just come and openly do [chaotic] stuff.'”
The curfew also comes as anime fans from all over are coming to the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center for a three-day Katsucon.
“Oh yeah, it’s packed,” one attendee said.
Among the packed crowd are minors. They will be exempt from the curfew because National Harbor has outlined exemptions. They include minors authorized to be at an event at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, who leave the National Harbor immediately after the event has ended.
Other youth exempted from punishments include those who are on the sidewalk in front of their residence, or those returning home from school or work.
The full policy from National Harbor can be viewed here.
