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The day was mild, with the sun occasionally breaking through an overcast sky. It was the first Sunday with Moody Street closed to vehicular traffic. Once again, restaurants would be able to serve outdoors, as they did the previous summer. Their dining tents weren’t yet set up, but a few of them did a brisk business all the same. It was the young who turned out, for the most part, but as the weather warms up, I expect the older folks will follow.
As to the wearing of masks, a new federal guidance had recently relaxed the outdoor mask requirement (other than for crowded entertainment venues). With or without a mask, Moody Street, I believe, is a safe place to visit. Whether seated or walking about, visitors remain well-dispersed—they rarely gather for long in tight knots—and most critically, there’s always a steady breeze on the street.
That’s important because, absent cars, Moody Street in summer has become more than an outdoor dining venue. As these photos depict, it has become a central gathering place for the city, for residents to stroll, sit in conversation with friends, or enjoy a meal. I believe it will become a permanent institution—a city square, if you will—long surviving the pandemic.
