Mr Viral
Photo Credit: Bourbon Street by Chris Litherland / CC by 3.0
Just a day after the New Year’s Day tragedy that killed 14 people and injured dozens more, music returns to Bourbon Street.After the New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans’ French Quarter that killed 14 people and injured 35 more, the goal was to reopen Bourbon Street to pedestrians within 36 hours. But clean-up crews had swept things up by 6 AM the next morning — and by 11 AM, street musicians were back to playing.
The 36-hour goal was to ensure the street was accessible again by the time the Sugar Bowl kicked off nearby. Despite the tragedy, by 2 AM on Thursday, the debris looked largely the same as the aftermath of any normal New Orleans celebration.
As the sun rose and businesses reopened, the streets remained relatively quiet, the weight of anxiety hanging heavy in the air. But around 11 AM, Bourbon Street heard its first trumpet. The Ohlson Family Roadshow, a group of buskers — the street musicians that make up part of the fabric of New Orleans — played along Royal Street and thanked those offering tips. They also implored listeners to donate funds to the victims of the terror attack.
After The Ohlson Family Roadshow, Aoleoin Broomfield was scheduled to play. The New Orleans native told ABC News she’s happy officials decided to reopen the French Quarter just a day after the attack.
“I still feel like we’re reeling from the aftereffects of Katrina, and even COVID,” she said. “We lost a lot of tourism, and a lot of businesses closed down during COVID. I hate to see another thing happen.”According to Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, law enforcement deployed additional units to the French Quarter and Caesars Superdome in the aftermath of the terror attack. But city and state officials alike have pushed for a swift return to normalcy.
“[Music] takes your mind off everything going on, even though it’s temporary,” said Broomfield. “It’s healing,” she added. “I just want things to be normal, even though it’s not normal. So I like playing out here just so I can feel a little bit normal.”
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