People view the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as they fly over the National Mall in Washington, Saturday, May 2, 2020. The flyover was in salute to first responders in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Patrick Semansky / AP

Quarantine fatigue—people venturing out after getting tired of being stuck inside during the pandemic—is hitting U.S. residents hard, and has been for several weeks now. Researchers have tracked people’s cellphone data to show that people are staying home less, defying orders to stay inside and remain socially distant.

On Saturday, a combination of 70-degree weather, clear skies after weeks of near-constant rain, and a flyover by the Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force’s Thunderbirds drew Washingtonians outdoors, with images cropping up of groups of people on the National Mall, at parks, and even some patio bars on 14th Street.

Eater DC editor Gabe Hiatt flagged the situation on 14th Street, where customers appeared to be gathering on the patio at Red Light Bar. While delivery and takeout orders are allowed under the mayor’s order, sit-down businesses remains barred.

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When reached by phone, a manager at Red Light who identified herself as Annie said the bar is only open for delivery and take-out, and that the customers gathered on the patio were waiting for their orders. When it got out of hand, the bar politely asked the customers to leave, the manager says.

Interim Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio told DCist over Twitter direct messages that while he only saw the image on Twitter and wouldn’t want to “adjudicate a particular incident without direct knowledge of it,” the photo of people gathered on the patio with wine and drinking glasses is of concern. “That would likely not conform with the current restrictions,” he says.

In a mix of masks and none, people wait for the final fly over of the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds in Washington, part of a “salute to frontline COVID-19 responders,” as seen from Arlington, Va., Saturday, May 2, 2020. Jacquelyn Martin / AP Photo

Meanwhile, the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds streaked across the sky at midday, and throngs of people gathered outdoors to watch the show—confirming fears that the display could lead to crowding. While the National Mall has been largely empty for weeks, that wasn’t the case today, as people—both masked and not—headed for the nation’s front lawn to catch the flyover. While many people appeared to try to keep distance from one another, photos showed that wasn’t always the case.

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Trails were also packed, with large numbers of people enjoying the sunshine in Rock Creek Park, Gravelly Point, and elsewhere along the Potomac. Elsewhere, ABC7 reporter Heather Graf said D.C. police kindly reminded visitors of social distancing rules at Yards Park, breaking up some groups of people. And despite a police presence, locals also flocked to Malcolm X Park.

“We still encourage residents to stay home except for essential movements like medical, food, or exercise,” Falcicchio says.

While Washingtonians appeared to be taking advantage of the weather rather than protesting the city’s orders, a group in Maryland demonstrated against Gov. Larry Hogan’s shutdown order, demanding that leaders reopen parts of the state that have reported fewer cases. The group, called ReOpen Maryland, drove from Frederick to Salisbury with a guns-rights advocacy group to protest the social distancing measures.

Also on Saturday, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia reported that the number of new coronavirus cases has continued to rise to more than 46,000, with the death toll crossing 2,000 fatalities.

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