BUFFALO, NY (WIVB) – Life in western New York City continues to slowly return to near-normal, just in time for summer.

Helium Comedy Club in Buffalo is moving some of its shows outside to help people laugh during these difficult times.

Sunday was the first time Helium had held one of its outdoor shows. They set up the chairs and tables on this patio. All this to make people feel comfortable going to shows again.

Places like Helium were one of the last places to reopen in Buffalo. The comedy club opened last month after being closed for more than a year due to the pandemic.

Since the reopening, general manager Shawn Eckart said, they have had to add more shows to meet demand because the shows are still at a limited capacity. News 4 also caught up with some local comedians who are excited to be back performing in front of people.

Local comedian Clayton Williams told us, “It’s like a whole different experience here. You don’t know how people are going to react, you are just like, hope the crowd is excited, everyone is feeling alright. I know I’m excited but nervous and it was actually a lot of fun getting back on track. “

Another WNY comedian Jameel Key said, “It’s crazy, because it was like a different life after a year without doing it, it just seemed like it wasn’t a thing anymore so now it feels like. good. It’s still a little weird but it’s good to at least do it.

Tables are still 6 feet apart and capacity is still limited with 100 people inside during shows.

The curfew on indoor meals ends Monday.