Photos show how crowded New York City is becoming as vaccinations ramp up - and locals say the energy of the city is coming back

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Washington Square Park on May 1 and Times Square on April 10. Joey Hadden/Insider
  • As vaccinations ramp up in the US, crowds are coming back to the streets of New York City.

  • Tourists and locals alike told Insider it felt as if the New York energy was coming back.

  • Photos taken by Insider in April and May show people hanging out and packing parks once again.

  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Before the pandemic, New York was a place where you could sit anywhere and never run out of people to watch, and it's starting to feel like that again.

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People visiting Union Square Park on May 1. Joey Hadden/Insider

More than 6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in New York City as of May 3.

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Crowds in Times Square on April 10. Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: NYC Health

As vaccinations ramp up, tourists and locals have started returning to hot spots like Times Square, The Wall Street Journal noted as early as March.

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Times Square packed with people on April 10. Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Wall Street Journal

The streets in Times Square were full when Insider visited in April, with costumed characters walking around and people snapping pictures.

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Times Square on April 10. Joey Hadden/Insider

In Times Square, some 200 businesses, including stores and hotels, have reopened, Patch reported.

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A crowd in Times Square on April 10. Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Patch

Broadway is allowed to reopen at full capacity on May 19, Deadline reported, but the theaters most likely won't be ready for performances until September.

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A crowded Times Square on April 10. Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Deadline

But people were already filling the space where patrons used to wait in line for play tickets when Insider visited in April.

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People in Times Square on April 10. Joey Hadden/Insider

At Union Square Park, people have been enjoying the warmer weather.

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People in Union Square Park on May 1. Joey Hadden/Insider

On May 1, the park was filled with people demonstrating, shopping, and relaxing.

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Union Square Park crowds and vendors on May 1. Joey Hadden/Insider

Ajalynn Baxter told Insider she'd lived in New York since 2017 and loved talking to strangers and making new friends.

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Baxter at Union Square Park on May 1. @ajalynn/Instagram

She said it'd been easier to make friends in places like Union Square Park since vaccinations had been ramping up because it felt safer.

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People walking around the park on May 1. Joey Hadden/Insider

Tim Clegg, who's lived in New York for 20 years, went to Union Square Park with friends May 1 after receiving his second shot.

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Tim Clegg at a restaurant in New York City in late April. @mistertimo/instagram

Clegg said he spent most of the pandemic walking around New York and the city felt deserted. "It was interesting but eerie," he said. "It's nice to see the streets full again."

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Clegg snapped this picture in Union Square Park on May 1. @mistertimo/Instagram

Washington Square Park seemed to be even more crowded than Union Square when Insider visited in May.

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Washington Square Park on May 1. Joey Hadden/Insider

The benches were pretty full, with people sprawled out on the lawn.

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People in the park on May 1. Joey Hadden/Insider

Sanoq Mooney, who said he was vaccinated and visiting New York from Delaware, spent May 1 relaxing in Washington Square Park with friends.

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Mooney, right, in the park with friends on May 1. @issablaus/Instagram

He said he'd been visiting the city since he was a kid and the energy this time was overpowering, in a good way.

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People in Washington Square Park on May 1. Joey Hadden/Insider

Zane Taylor, who moved to New York during the pandemic, said being in the park felt like being a part of history.

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Taylor in Washington Square Park on May 1. @znctylr/Instagram

"It feels like the city is really waking up," he said. "It's energizing more and more every day."

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People packed benches in Washington Square Park on May 1. Joey Hadden/Insider

Marjorie Zien, a photographer who's lived near Washington Square Park for over 30 years, said the area was starting to feel normal again.

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Zien took this photo in Washington Square Park on May 1. @marjfz/Instagram

"It does feel like some form of normalcy is returning," she said. "Combined with the nice weather of the season, one might forget for a minute what the past year has been like. It's refreshing, good for the soul."

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People packed benches and walked through the park on May 1. Joey Hadden/Insider

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