NEW ORLEANS — Bayou Boogaloo is in full effect and this year and it's the first event where masks are not required to attend.
At the Broadside Theatre in Mid City, there are people gathering listening to music.
Maria Cuniga-Lott felt great to leave the house.
She misses festivals like Bayou Boogaloo.
"Enjoying the weather, enjoying our local crafts, I'm sure these artists haven't been working for a while," Cuniga-Lott said.
Local artist Nicole Ockmond attended Bayou Boogaloo this year.
Ockmond is pleased to see fully vaccinated people who don't need masks.
"It's really nice to see people you hadn't had seen in over a year and catch up with them," Ockmond said.
Many food vendors are hopeful now the masks mandate has been lifted it could mean more cash in their wallets.
"Things are started to get back to a sense of normalcy and I think that's important, the crowds have been better I think the tension has kinda subsided, it's nice I'm glad they lifted it in New Orleans," Anthony Cruz, Southerners.
Bayou Boogaloo is in its 15th year.
The event was moved from Bayou Saint John to Broadside Theatre to ensure proper social distancing.
The founder is glad the mask mandate has been lifted hours before the event began.
"I feel great now this is a neck up which is great I can keep the sun off my neck again, I think people are super excited I think people think it's up to people if you want to wear a mask at this point," Jared Zeller, Founder Friends of Bayou Saint John said.