Resilient New Orleans: Music Fills Bourbon Street Less Than 24 Hours After New Year's Tragedy
Just a day after the tragic New Year's Day truck attack in New Orleans' French Quarter that claimed 14 lives and injured 35 people, music has made its resilient return to Bourbon Street.
Musicians performing on Bourbon Street New Orleans
Photo Credit: Bourbon Street by Chris Litherland / CC by 3.0
Clean-up crews worked efficiently through the night, completing their task by 6 AM the following morning—well ahead of the planned 36-hour reopening timeline set to accommodate the upcoming Sugar Bowl. By 11 AM, the familiar sounds of street musicians filled the air once again.
The Ohlson Family Roadshow, a local busking group, became the first to perform on Royal Street post-tragedy, collecting tips while encouraging donations for attack victims. They were followed by New Orleans native Aoleoin Broomfield, who expressed support for the quick reopening, noting the city's previous struggles with Hurricane Katrina and COVID-19.
Governor Jeff Landry confirmed increased law enforcement presence in both the French Quarter and around Caesars Superdome. Despite the heightened security, city and state officials have emphasized the importance of returning to normal operations.
Broomfield captured the sentiment of many locals, stating, "[Music] takes your mind off everything going on, even though it's temporary. It's healing. 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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