NEW ORLEANS, Bridgetown — On what would normally be a weekend of revelry and celebration, the only noise this year at the intersection of Bourbon and St. Ann in the French Quarter is construction.
“We’ve already been grappling with all the other financial impacts of COVID-19 and this is just yet another obstacle that we’re going to have to get through,” said Sarah Manowitz, General Manager of OZ.
OZ is a nightclub that sits at that intersection and serves as a centerpiece for Southern Decadence, a major Labor Day weekend event, especially for the LGBTQ community. The event attracts locals and tourists from across the country, but this year it’s canceled because of the pandemic.
“As a business we depend on the revenue that we generate during Decadence to help sustain us throughout the rest of the year,” said Manowitz.
As one of the top yearly events in New Orleans, one organizing website estimates last year’s event created a $285 million impact. Manowitz says the loss of that impact goes beyond boarded up businesses like OZ.
“It doesn’t just bring money into the bars and tax revenue to the city but it’s also one of our largest charitable events,” said Manowitz.
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Just a block down Bourbon, NOLA Poboys is open, but not nearly as busy as it should be.
It’s a big blow to the city and the economy,” said Owner Murray Tate. “We originally opened up Southern Decadence weekend 2013. Basically, it’s three or four Mardi Gras days in a row. So, it’s very important to all the businesses around here.”
Tate says since the shutdown, businesses like his are struggling, making the cancellation of Southern Decadence even more painful.
“It’s been hell. I was running at probably ten to fifteen percent of what we normally do a month,” said Tate.
While understanding safety comes first, Tate and Manowitz say they’ll keep rolling with the COVID punches.
“Having gone through Katrina this isn’t the first hard road that we’ve had to travel and I just refuse to quit,” said Manowitz.
To try and salvage the celebration OZ Nightclub is going virtual this weekend, hosting a live stream of DJ’s so folks can still be a part of the action from home.