NEW ORLEANS - The weekend before St. Patrick's Day is usually a busy one along Magazine Street. However, the pandemic is forcing plans to change. The owner of Tracey's though has been working with the city to try and keep the festive spirit alive.
After a tough year, the light at the end of the tunnel is looking a bit brighter for the owner of Tracey's, Jeffrey Carreras.
"Pretty rough, down 87% in sales from 2019-2020 but we're surviving, it's a tough city," he said. "[The light] It's dim, but it's getting there, at least we have a light."
However, still the upcoming St. Patrick's Day weekend, will once again, look different.
"It's usually a good time of year for us, and it's a fun time for everybody," Carreras said. "Everyone wants to be Irish for the day."
The annual block party at 3rd and Magazine streets is a tradition that runs deep in New Orleans. Last year, it had to be shut down after too many people started to gather outside.
"We were just trying to operate inside what we could, which we did efficiently, and just the crowds started coming," Carreras explained.
So that doesn't happen this year, Carreras says he's been working with the city to try and make a now normal business day, somewhat special.
"We're going to operate what we can from 11am-11pm and do what we do for the people who want to celebrate St. Patrick's Day," he said. "We can sit 98 people inside, another 60 or so outside so we'll be busy outside. We'll have crawfish going, corn beef and cabbage, we're encouraging people to move along after and not linger."
Barricades and New Orleans Police will help with crowd control. Tracey's will also have security on hand to help with that. Sanitizer stations will also be available and masking and social distancing will be enforced. It may not be the same as years past, but Carreras says it was important this annual celebration live on.
"And that's what we want to focus on this year, spread the love, spread the wealth amongst other venues and shops," he said.
Reservations are also strongly encouraged ahead of Saturday. You can reach out to the bar via social media or phone to schedule.