One of the most iconic seaside boardwalks and amusement parks in the entire country is back from its coronavirus pandemic-related layoff.
Coney Island, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, reopened its doors over the weekend, albeit at one-third capacity.
And those screams you heard at Luna Park on the boardwalk were shrieks of joy - OK, some of them were for joy and the rest were from the rollercoasters, including the famous wooden coaster The Cyclone.
Coney Island's amusements shut down in the winter, meaning the park had been closed since late 2019 when the pandemic hit in early 2020. All totaled, it has been 529 days since the public ventured off the boardwalk and onto a ride.
"It's a very emotional day. We wanted to spread positivity," Alessandro Zamperla, the president of Central Amusement International Inc., which owns Luna Park, told NBC News. "It's been very tough, but now is really a day of celebration, a day where we get together and we want to inspire people to come here, to really be able to have fun."
There was music and funnel cakes and rides and screams again at Coney Island, even if it wasn't as jam-packed as usual. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave his approval for amusement parks in the state to reopen starting April 9 but only at 33 percent capacity to start.
It was also a chance to celebrate what should have been marked last year - the 100th anniversary of the Wonder Wheel, another iconic part of Coney Island.
"It's a year late, but that's okay. We get to mark history," New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio said. "Coney Island comes back, the rides come back and now New York City will come back. You can feel it."
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