People in D.C. are putting life on pause amid election anxiety

The big picture: D.C. tension is high in the lead-up to Election Day, with the city ramping up security to prepare for potential unrest as polls show a tight race between former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

State of play: Some people are feeling too freaked to fête. Plenty of local bars are hosting casual election night gatherings, but when it comes to Washington's big, elaborate parties of yore, some businesses and hosts are skipping out.

• Laura Calderone of Relish catering — who's catered everything from foreign dignitary affairs to the White House egg roll — tells Axios that all three of her election night parties were canceled as the race tightened.
• One client, a big firm, backed out of their party plans because they "decided they didn't want to 'play politics'," says Calderone. Others, she thinks, are daunted by predictions that a winner won't be called for days, as well as nerves.

What they're saying: "People are so anxious and stressed, they don't want a big party — it's not going to be celebratory," says Calderone. She recalls hosts having meltdowns as the 2016 election results turned for Trump.

• "When it's emotionally weighted like this, outside of funerals, people don't want others to see them falling apart."

Restaurateur Jennifer Meltzer, who runs All Set and Money Muscle BBQ in downtown Silver Spring, tells Axios that business and holiday party planning are slower than usual.

• "People are nervous about the future, regardless who wins," Meltzer tells Axios. "When this huge thing is settled, we can move on and adjust, but it's all hanging in the balance. I think that's influencing people's spending."

The intrigue: One unexpected side effect of locals putting off plans around Nov. 5? Empty dog boarding kennels.

• DMV "dog ranch" K-9 Divine's boarding numbers for the first week of November are down 50% compared to last year's, owner Rachel Jones tells Axios.
• And most of their customers that week are boarding their dogs while they volunteer at the polls — not for vacation, she says.

Zoom in: The hesitant vibe extends to local real estate, too. Some agents are seeing buyers and sellers take a cautious wait-and-see approach to purchasing or listing homes before the election, they tell Axios.

• "People are very concerned … because depending on what the outcome is, [it] could dramatically change the fortunes of the federal government in D.C.," says local agent Joe Himali.
• Trump's talk of downsizing government agencies during a potential second administration could disrupt D.C.'s economy and the livelihoods of local federal employees.

Some concerned locals are planning to sell their DMV-area homes and move should Trump win, Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors vice president Christopher Suranna says.

Zoom out: This isn't just a local phenomenon. While the first two weekends in November are usually prime time for movie releases ahead of the holidays, this year some studios are avoiding them so new titles don't get lost amidst election noise.

• And certain publishing houses are avoiding election month when scheduling book releases.
• Big box retailers like Costco and Lowe's did the opposite, pushing out Christmas decorations as early as July to get ahead of the spending pause during election season.

What's next: Calderone is looking toward the holidays and inauguration, but again, uncertainty pervades and plans are being penciled in rather than set in stone.

• "People are being more pragmatic and cautious. Even though the economy is doing okay, they're doing more basic catering and not over-the-top things," she says.

And when parties do happen? "Election anxiety has our clients hovering over details, and going back-and-forth on lots of decisions, requiring more guidance and reassurance," says Calderone.

• "Folks are trying to hold a tighter grip over things that sometimes aren't in their control."

Reality check: I.M.P., the group behind concert venues like 9:30 Club and The Anthem, hasn't seen a decline in ticket sales surrounding the election, a spokesperson tells Axios, saying that many people look for escapism during tense periods.

• In fact, shows like Leon Bridges and Orion Sun are sold out the week of and weekend following the election.

And hotel reservations suggest business-as-usual for the inauguration. It appears many downtown hotels are already fully booked or have higher-than-normal rates for that weekend, based on an online search.

• The downtown Marriott Marquis didn't have any rooms available between Jan. 17-21 of next year when Axios searched.
• And rooms at the Convention Center Courtyard Marriott started at $1,200 a night compared to $276 the following weekend.