SAN DIEGO — St Patrick’s Day festivities were in full swing in the Gaslamp Quarter Wednesday night. It’s the first major holiday that people have been able to be indoors at restaurants and bars since the coronavirus pandemic began. It’s also the first day for San Diego County in the red tier, a less restrictive set of guidelines for public places.
The crowds in Gaslamp were not as big as we’re use to seeing but people still seemed to be in search of a good and safe time this St Patrick’s Day.
People hanging out on 5th Avenue said they were celebrating more than just the holiday. Some of the people News 8 talked to were simply excited to be out with their friends again and make up for time lost because of the pandemic.
“So I turned 21 in the fall and so this is my first real holiday getting to celebrate, being safe of course, but I’m excited to be out here and yeah, it’s a good time!” Kelsi said.
The streets weren’t packed with people as much as they may have been before the pandemic, but hundreds of people still enjoyed the restaurants and bars as they tried to follow safety guidelines. One man said the pandemic has taken its toll on everyone and now he feels a lot more comfortable getting out.
“I love being out and just being with my friends. Working from home has been a struggle so just being able to celebrate holidays like this with my friends is really impactful,” Matthew said.
Fifth Avenue has been closing off for curbside dining in the Gaslamp for a while but for some who live close by, they still are a little leery about the crowds.
“It’s kind of crazy now, there’s a lot more people around and I guess I’m a little bit worried that there’s not much social distancing going on but we’re just going to kind of keep our distance for the moment,” said Sang, who lives near Fifth Avenue.
Although, social distancing may not have been strictly enforced, News 8 crews did see a lot people wearing masks, even while they were indoors.
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