Summerfest hopes to finish strong after hot week
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Summerfest hopes to finish strong after hot week Video by 620wtmj.com
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MILWAUKEE - A lot of people took in the last day of the Big Gig.
Summerfest's organizers and vendors are now hoping the big weekend crowds can help ease the pain after one of the hottest weeks on record in Milwakee. They say triple-digit heat days and excessive heat warnings took a bite out of business at the Big Gig with fewer crowds coming through the gates.
"The conditions that we experienced were extraordinary and they were very, very challenging so a lot of people I think wanted to and preferred to just stay home in an air conditioned evironment," Summerfest VP John Boler says.
Summerfest organizers aren't saying just yet how much attendance dropped because of the heat, but they say the impact is significant.
"Our new dockside restaurant, which was undercover with fans worked out great so a lot of the guests that came down," Saz's Festival Director Kurt Kluth says. "We saw a big increase there."
But at their stand in the middle of the Summerfest grounds, there was less traffic and cash.
At Water Street Brewery, beer remained popular during hot days. Still, managers noticed a drop in sales.
"It was much slower, especially during the day times," Water Street Summerfest Manager Stephanie Bergles says.
The weekend's cooler temperatures and packed walkways were a welcome sight for businesses hoping to finish strong. Summerfest organizers say they'll release final attendance figures later this week.
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