UPDATE: In a thrilling victory, the San Diego Padres came from behind in the 9th inning to walk off on the Cincinnati Reds. Final score, 6-4, in front of a crowd of more than 40,000.

SAN DIEGO — America’s Finest City has reopened — and so has Petco Park.

In honor of restrictions being lifted just days ago, the San Diego Padres wanted to give fans a chance to get the Opening Day experience so many missed out on during the height of the pandemic.

“Best city, best weather and hopefully soon to be the best team in baseball,” said one Friars fan said while eating lunch at BUBS in East Village.

“It means a lot to the Padres when you’re playing a baseball game with a whole stadium, said Social Tap’s General Manager Jake Snyder. “It just has a different feel to it, energizes them hopefully it pull out of their little slump.”

While the Padres are ready to play for a full house in the ballpark, restaurants and bars surrounding the park are braced for fans as well. Snyder said they are very excited about serving guests at full capacity, but all of the restaurants are in a slump of their own due to the lack of workers applying for jobs.

“Constantly since the real Opening Day, we’ve been trying to hire,” Snyder said. “There’s just not enough people ready to work but we’re plugging away we have a large busy house and we’re looking for people always.”

Meantime, fans said they were so happy to see people without masks and the East Village they remembered.