Italians celebrate Italy's big 2020 Euro Cup Final victory in SF's North Beach
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- In case you needed any, Sunday was proof that California and San Francisco are fully back open.
There were many high-stakes sports matches over the weekend, including the 2020 Euro Cup Final and the NBA Finals, which meant huge crowds in San Francisco.
Hundreds of fans of the Italian National Team met outside Acquolina at the corner of Union St. and Stockton St. in San Francisco's world-famous Italian neighborhood of North Beach. The area is also known to out-of-towners as Little Italy.
"The Italians conquered," said fan Judy D'Este.
"I love it!" said fan Michael Niktaris. "The energy, it's electric, people are very happy, and people are just craving connection I noticed". Niktaris went out to watch the NBA Finals but ran into the crowd at Acquolina cheering on Italy's victory over England.
For many it was their first time amongst this many people since the state's reopening.
"My true true feeling is, it feels so good for us all to be together like this and not have all this distancing and just celebrate together, it's been so long and it just feels beautiful," said Tracy Ferragamo, a duel citizen of the United States and Italy.
That beautiful feeling was echoed inside Mr. Bings.
"Especially with an Italian win here in North Beach you know with all the Irish and all the Italians, it's coming home, we did the business," said Peter Cooper who owns Mr. Bings. Cooper went on to say, "They're looking for an excuse to have a beer and have a drink and celebrate, you know the war is over!"
"This is the first bar hop we've done since like I don't even know how long it's been," said bar patron Daniel Chang.
"Been over year, haven't seen it like this forever, love it!" said Kristina Porter who was dancing in the street.
We talked with one San Francisco bar owner who tells us that since the reopening, he is ordering four times the alcohol he was before the pandemic started. That is how busy some locations have been.
