Downtown Belleville kicked off the start of summer in a big way with over 4,000 people attending the annual Downtown@Dusk Summer Solstice event on Friday.The community-focused event saw unprecedented numbers for local businesses with one popular restaurant seeing over 300 people through their doors and another seeing their best sales so far this year.
Belleville Downtown Improvement Area Executive Director Marijo Cuerrier says social media feedback has been abundant and positive. She attributes the success of the event to two things; they have a board of directors that believed in disrupting the norm, and downtown business owners and property owners worked collaboratively, with professional outside vendors and entertainers. The second reason it was successful was that people showed up. And the one piece that was out of their control but worked in their favour was that it was a beautiful event weather-wise.
The BDIA is planning additional summer and fall events.
