Augusta businesses to see more traffic during upcoming events

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Beginning Friday evening, downtown Augusta will host Arts in the Heart.

Thousands of visitors will flood Broad Street to enjoy music, art, crafts and good food.

Events like these are of great importance to our local economy.

September will be an unforgettable month for entrepreneurs in downtown Augusta.

This weekend, Arts in the Heart will be the main attraction, and soon Ironman competitors will have to run to the checkouts.

“A little over $12 million and almost 120,000 people in Augusta at one point in September,” said Bennish Brown of Destination Augusta.

Ironman and Arts in the Heart take place back-to-back and attract more than 100,000 spectators and $6 million to Augusta.

“We think of fall as the time when school starts, and you might think things slow down. I think for Augusta that means nothing slows down,” Brown said.

New Moon Cafe is one of the first restaurants you see when you enter Arts in the Heart.

“Arts and the Hearts is a completely different beast. We’re probably seeing twice as much traffic,” said barista Alaina Cain.

And even though they are now out of the gates, business, he says, is not slowing down.

“It’s also becoming common for a lot of locals to say, ‘Oh, well, you should visit this place,’” Cain said.

This means that preparations need to start early.

“We’re definitely doubling our staff. We’re doing extra preparations pretty much all week long,” Cain said.

Brenda Durant has been directing Arts in the Heart for 27 years.

While this is her last year hosting the show, it is her husband’s first year as an artist.

“I’m not very good at advertising and social media and all that. So I thought maybe I could do Arts in the Heart,” her husband said.

This year, he says, he is presenting something he considers unique to the festival.

“They just go silently. It’s like sailing, you know, there’s no engine. Everything is powered by nature,” Durant’s husband said.

Arts in the Heart starts Friday and runs through Sunday. Ironman will take place next weekend, September 29th.

Please note that part of Broad Street will be closed until Sunday for the event.

When the fun begins on Friday, pay attention to which parking lots will be open.

You can also travel to the festival by shared transport, allowing you to bypass parking altogether.