ROANOKE, Va. – The 14th annual Go Fest is just around the corner, and this weekend, thousands of people are expected to flock to Roanoke to experience what the Go Outside Festival has to offer.
It’s a festival all about experiencing the outdoors, downtown Roanoke and their new location at Explore Park will be turned into huge playgrounds for this weekend’s festivities
From music and outdoor activities to engaging workshops, GO Fest is packed with fun, and it also plays a significant role in Roanoke’s economy.
Drew Deeds, store manager at Walkabout Outfitter, noted, “The event itself was definitely a lot more people than I expected.”
Last year, GO Fest generated about $2.5 million in spending and attracted 40,000 attendees over three days. Organizers believe that with the additional location at Explore Park, this year’s turnout could be even larger.
Tim Pohlad-Thomas, Events Coordinator for the City of Roanoke Parks and Recreation, explained, “So we have all these people from all over the area that are coming in to stay in Roanoke, spend money at shops here, stay at hotels while they’re here, and just enjoy everything Roanoke has to offer.”
For businesses like Walkabout Outfitter in downtown Roanoke, Go Fest is crucial for their fall sales. Deeds added, “Yeah, it’s huge. We look forward to this every year. It brings in a lot of traffic for us, brings in a lot of people from out of town, a lot of fun events and all of that. With us being an outdoorsy store, it definitely brings in the traffic we really look forward to.”
The new location at Explore Park promises even more opportunities for attendees. “But what we’ve missed out on that is the ability to access trails really easily and do a try-it day. The ability to go out there and experience these demos in a place where you would actually be riding,” Pohlad-Thomas said.
Organizers are hopeful for big crowds this weekend. The event runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. October18-20. Find more information here.