Food stands are a staple of any summer festival.
And the owners use festival season to grow their business.
A smoothie can look pretty good after a long hard bike ride.
And a steady source of customers looks pretty good to Bayside Smoothies.
Employee Tanya Gracias says, "She wants to expand the business, she also has a stand at the Bandits' game."
Gracias is running this stand at Ride the River by herself for the first time. But she says her boss sets up stands in lots of places. To try and turn festival goers into repeat customers at the Locust Street store.
"It just let's people know where you're at, help spread the word," says Gracias.
And shop owners say festivals can make or break their budgets.
Front Street Brewery Owner Steve Zuidema says, "The events happening down here at LeClaire Park, they're enormous and we'll probably make half of our yearly income just off events."
Zuidema says summer festivals helped convince him to open up this new location across from the park. He's already been brewing beer in the Quad-Cities for twenty years. And knows the value of finding a new customer.
"So it multiplies very quickly once the word of mouth gets out that you've got such a thing going on down here," says Zuidema.
Word of mouth and good weather draw crowds to festivals. And the weather has been kind to Front Street Brewery's neighbor.
Fresh Deli Co-Owner Ed Kraklio says "Our summer has started so much earlier with this weather that we were offered in the Quad-Cities."
Kraklio says he wants customers to take break from the event going on and sit and relax. Because if they try that on a weekend, they may repeat the experience after a stressful workday.
"Hopefully those consumers will be back to visit us and not just on those festivals," said Kraklio.
