New Yorkers, Tourists Try To Make The Best Of A Soggy Start To Memorial Day Weekend
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Soggy weather in New York City left a lot of people who were looking for something to do this Memorial Day weekend high and dry.
At Jones Beach, where Saturday's Bethpage Air Show failed to take off due to rain and wind, CBS2's Dave Carlin found exactly one ticket holder: Gabriel Bastomski.
"I wanted to come out for the air show and see Jones Beach and everything. I haven't done it before. But it wasn't meant to be today," he said.
He boarded a bus disappointed, completing his round trip between Midtown Manhattan and Jones Beach.
The event's cancelation left the beach nearly deserted, just one small and soaked group with a football.
No decision has been made yet whether the air show will be canceled again on Sunday. It all depends on the weather.
On Rockaway Beach, lifeguards had very few people to guard, and Coney Island had a gray, slick and, for some, sad look to it.
There was not much for the merchants to do on the Coney Island boardwalk, including the workers at Salt and Sizzle who say Saturday was spent organizing and cleaning because there were so few customers.
"It's bad. After COVID and having this weekend? For sure, it's not nice. It's not nice for the company, and it's not nice for the whole boardwalk," worker Daniel Valsasso said.
But at least getting into Luna Park was a breeze, which worked out fine for one trio.
"We can just go on the rides, no lines," 11-year-old Anabel Salas said.
"We don't sweat the lines. There's no line, you just go right in," Brooklyn resident Maribel Salas said.
Moments later, they were the only ones braving the Thunderbolt.
Others in the city settled for indoor pursuits like movies and shopping or the tourist attractions along 42nd Street.
"It's raining, so we're going to a museum instead," Rye resident Matilda Glitterstan said.
"We were originally planning to take the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty," tourist Maria Ali said.
"Those plans got changed by the rain," tourist Bjorn Ali said.
"It's raining outside, so I think everybody wants to be inside, so I think that's it and that's why it's so packed," Rochester resident Jose Laraquente said.
When weather makes things change on the fly and empties beaches and some businesses, people adapt and try to make the best of it.
