A woman paddles a kayak with her dog in Lake Michigan on Tuesday, April 27, 2021, in Chicago. (Photo: AP)

CHICAGO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Thursday that the U.S. third largest city is loosening up its pandemic restrictions by allowing outdoor festivals and farmers markets and increased capacity for indoor events at the United Center and elsewhere.

This is part of the city's plan to reopen the economy to normal events, Chicago Tribune reported on Thursday.

The United Center and other large indoor venues will be allowed to open at 25-percent capacity. Large indoor venues for meetings, conference rooms and conventions can operate at the lesser of 25-percent capacity or 250 people. Large houses of worship will also be allowed to operate at 25-percent capacity, the city government said in a statement.

Festivals and general admission outdoor events can now operate with 15 people per 1,000 square feet. Farmers markets and flea markets will be allowed to operate at 25-percent capacity or 15 people per 1,000 square feet.

Guests at private events, such as weddings, that are fully vaccinated will not count toward capacity limits if they are 2 weeks past final vaccine dose.

According to data by Wednesday, both the seven-day rolling average of daily positive cases and the positivity rate of COVID-19 in Chicago have declined to 527 and 4.7 percent, respectively.