NEW ORLEANS — Travel through Armstrong International Airport this memorial day weekend is up, with Monday expected to be the busiest day of the weekend.
But a lot of locals decided to stay home and do the things they missed doing with family and friends last summer.
A local brass band sings a song about getting the second dose of the COVID vaccine.
It's the familiar New Orleans brass band sound that had people dancing and celebrating in a packed City Park. Just outside of Cafe' du Monde, You could find people like a young Arkansas couple on their honeymoon. It was the first time they traveled since the pandemic lockdowns.
"The more we hear about vaccinations going up, we're more and more comfortable going back into public,” said the new wife.
And a bride and groom who just left their ceremony, about to go on their honeymoon, were grateful they got to have the full ceremony with a wedding party and all.
They had concerns beforehand that the pandemic would have canceled their wedding.
"Oh yeah. We're like what if this doesn't work out. But we just, we were willing to trust each other and trust God and everything. It all worked out. It was beautiful,” the newlyweds said.
Some of the people biting into beignets got them free. That was the gift given to those who got a free COVID vaccine at the Crescent Care tent right nearby. Their workers were decked out with COVID vaccine vial earrings. Many of those who stepped up were the newly included young tweens and teens.
“I came out today because it was free and came out today to get some beignets as well,” said an older teen.
“The reason why this was important to me is I wanted to be safe just because of the coronavirus,” said a newly-vaccinated 13-year-old boy.
“So I can like go places this summer and basically life-like I would normally live,” said a 12-year-old girl who just got her vaccine.
The Washington family came out in full force. There was a serious and spirited volleyball game. The competition was the grown-ups against the next generation.
And the next generation of children was relieved that finally something for them was reopened. The Louisiana Children's Museum in City Park had a lot of activity on its post lockdown opening day.
“Having fun. It's nice because I didn't really like COVID and the mask thing,” said the young sisters.
“The bubble thing. You get to lift it up and you get be inside the bubble and that was fun too,” said a young boy about his favorite attraction inside the museum.
You could tell this was no usual Saturday in the park, nor was it the usual holiday weekend celebration. There was more excitement in the atmosphere, excitement because people could finally have a shared experience with family and friends they have had to social distance from for so long.
And while more and more people are traveling by plane, the airline industry still says airports like MSY, with primarily domestic traffic, may not see pre-COVID levels again until 2023.