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Crowds return to Atlantic City after a soggy Memorial Day weekend
JoAnn Pileggi talks with shop owners and happy beach goers after a cold and dreary Memorial Day weekend.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - After a soggy weekend, the rain vanished and the temperatures warmed up just in time for Memorial Day. People flocked to Atlantic City to get a break from cabin fever.
"We came down here for some quality family time," said a woman enjoying the day.
And, they’re getting just that on the boards in Atlantic City on Memorial Day 2021. The weather, of course, has been all over the place the past couple of days.
"Oh it’s bipolar. It was cold five minutes ago and now it’s hot. You know what I’m saying," remarked a passerby.
Not sure who’s maligned Mother Nature with a term of bipolar, but the weather has people looking up and making the best of it.
"My whole family is from Atlantic City and this is where I primarily surf out of. I came here and enjoying the nice weather and got some waves and I had a good time," said surfer Ian Previte.
Ian came for the waves, while others came for the free beach in the popular and historic seaside city, where COVID fears have slipped away and crowds have returned.
"It’s been busier than we’ve ever, ever seen it before at this point in the year. And, you can see, it’s obvious the boardwalk is packed. The minute the rain stopped, the boardwalk was mobbed yesterday, even though it was 52 degrees and cold. The casinos are mobbed. The beaches are busy and expect to be busier," explained Captain of the Beach Patrol Steve Downey.
"The weekend, no good. Maybe good later, good weather, I make money," Mohammed stated.
Mohammed uses his muscles to make money in Atlantic City and he’s hopeful, as are all the small business owners whose shops flourish when the crowds are here.
"This is actually one of the biggest weekends we have and we have the whole summer ahead of us," a shop owner said.
Not the dog days of summer yet, but folks who come to the pet friendly, family friendly resort are thinking it’ll be a big comeback summer.
"We just wanted to get away, enjoy the weather, after being cooped up for a year," Barry Frazier commented.
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