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Summer Festivals in Syracuse Bring Boost to Local Economy Summer Festivals in Syracuse Bring Boost to Local Economy

By Samuel St. Jean

Sammy St. Jean: The name of the game: Bringing people into Syracuse. Tourism in Syracuse is a vital industry, one that Visit Syracuse CEO Danny Liedka says get a massive economic boost from a busy Syracuse summer with events like the Taste of Syracuse.

Danny Liedka: I think that people from here don’t realize how big tourism is in this county. It’s about a nine-hundred-million dollar industry, it’s one in 10 jobs. So, these really fuel the furnace to keep that going and the economic impact is really astronomical.

St. Jean: Over 60 restaurants come to Syracuse in this consistently growing event. Ale n’ Angus pub made its first appearance at the taste this year. The process wasn’t easy and included getting multiple permits, but owner Matt Beach knows the traffic the event brings makes it more than worth it.

Matt Beach: Over the course of this weekend there’s roughly about 240-thousand people that come through here on the weekend. So, if you can be a part of that and get your name out in front of let just say half of those people, you’re doing well. It’s like advertising.

St. Jean: Not only do those who come to the taste as a vendor get to expose their product to a mass of potential customers, they are also presented with the opportunity to meet and work as apart of a supportive community of vendors.

Beach: I think its been great. Overall experience is I’m already decided that I’m doing it again next year so. You know, the people here you work side by side with, we are all here to help each other out. All here to support each other. I just had lunch from another vendor because that is what you do.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The Taste of Syracuse came and went this past weekend, attracting people from all over the Central New York area and beyond. Events like the this highlight what is a busy period in the city.

It is busy by design. A major goal in the city is finding ways to bring people into Syracuse. Tourism in Syracuse is a vital industry, one that Visit Syracuse CEO Danny Liedka says get a massive economic boost from a busy Syracuse summer.

“I think that people from here don’t realize how big tourism is in this county,” said Liedka. “It’s about a $900 million industry, it’s one in 10 jobs. So, these really fuel the furnace to keep that going and the economic impact is really astronomical.”

For the 45th year of the Taste of Syracuse, over 60 restaurants came to the city as a part of this consistently growing event.

Ale ‘n’ Angus pub made its first appearance at the taste this year. The process wasn’t easy and included getting multiple permits, but owner Matt Beach knows the traffic the event brings makes it more than worth it.

“Over the course of this weekend there’s roughly about 240,000  people that come through here on the weekend,” said Beach. “So, if you can be a part of that and get your name out in front of let just say half of those people, you’re doing well. It’s like advertising.”

For vendors there are multiple reasons to come and be a part of the event. The obvious reason is the attention your business and product get. An alternative reason Matt learned about in the process was the community. The vendors who work alongside each other have fostered a supportive environment that stood out to Matt and one he embraced.

“I think it’s been great,” said Beach. “Overall experience is I’m already decided that I’m doing it again next year so. You know, the people here you work side by side with, we are all here to help each other out, all here to support each other. I just had lunch from another vendor because that is what you do.”

The summer continues on now but the tourist attractions don’t stop with the Syracuse Nationals being a major highlight coming in July along with an event virtually every weekend.

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