Hopscotch crowds are music to ears of Raleigh merchants
RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) -- Downtown Raleigh is in full swing thanks to the 2016 Hopscotch Music Festival.
The three-day festival started in 2010 and this year brings 120 bands to more than a dozen venues throughout downtown Raleigh.
Artists such as Erykah Badu, The Bleeding Hearts, Beach House, Young Thug, Anderson .Paak, Wye Oak, and Raleigh's own Kooley High bring out an assortment of fans eager to enjoy their music and spend money.
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Jimmy V's Osteria & Bar, which is adjacent to Hopscotch's City Plaza Stage, is benefitting from an increase in foot traffic.
General manager David Zeuske told ABC11 that "when people are blocked off, they end up coming into our restaurant. So it's good."
Zeuske says logistically it can be challenging.
"Sometimes traffic can be a little bit tough. We know if that street's filling up, people are going to come in the restaurant. So we're always welcome to it," he added.
Raleigh Rickshaw's Manny Amaya has been riding all throughout downtown taking festival attendees to different venues.
"It's been really busy all night," Amaya said. "It's been really good for me. And of course, make money, that's what we're here for."
The festival brought music fans of various genres. Danielle Mayber was grooving to the vibes of Anderson .Paak on Friday night.
"These artist have so much energy and it's really being able to bring people down here and showing them Raleigh can provide to them," she said.
That energy translates into dollars spent at businesses throughout downtown Raleigh.
The Big Easy restaurant is a few blocks from the City Plaza Stage and is already profiting from its regular crowd and the Hopscotch attendees.
"It's been pretty busy here," said waitress Andi Savary. "I definitely made more money yesterday and today than I have in the past little while. So tips are really good."
With bands from all over the world, including several Raleigh-based acts, Savary said "it's nice seeing people that come out downtown that don't come out all the time. They get to have a nice experience out here."
Matthew Munoz, one of the organizers, is passionate about Hopscotch and said he truly believes the festival can have a lasting impact.
"We wanted to create a festival where people here that live and breathe can interact with people that are coming here," he said.
