SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Many people enjoyed Saturday at the 23rd annual Cider Days Festival.
“I never thought you could get that many people on a street,’ Shelly Leigh, Owner of Shelly’s Smellies, said. “It’s just a sea of people headed your way.”
Cider Days takes place on Historic Walnut Street. The festival took a year off due to the pandemic. After many years of participating, Leigh wasn’t sure what to expect this year.
“We like the festival and the attendance,” Leigh said. “It’s on the pavement, there’s no mucking through the mud and grass.”
Many festival goers were excited to get back to Walnut Street.
“It’s a fun day outside,” Cider Days goer Nadine Bergevin said. “You get to see a lot the people, a lot of dogs, so it’s good it’s a fun time.”
The festivities stretched across town to the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. The Food Truck Festival hosted it’s 7th annual event. In the past, trucks parked in Downtown Springfield. Food Trucks were open for business in 2020 at the fairgrounds.
“Most of the attendees were wearing masks,” Polka Dot Pig Owner Tregg Geren said.
This year came with it’s own difficulties for Food Truck owners.
“We eliminated brisket this year because it is too expensive,” Geren said, “We’re not able to make a profit it if we don’t want to raise our prices.”
Geren said this year he thought more people came out to the fairgrounds.
“We haven’t been out in a while,” Food Truck Festival Goer Casey Jebbia said. “It’s been really nice to get out with the family.”
Owners are encouraging folks to come out and show their support.
“Support local businesses and small businesses,” Leigh said. “The corporates are killing us.”
Cider Days runs through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.