I would say Riverfest was a success in bringing people downtown. The irony is the poor planning on having food vendors ironically paid off for DT restaurants. Almost every restaurant on Phillips was full or on a wait. Maybe organizers did that on purpose so that fest goers would dine at DT eateries. Either way, it paid off.

The other irony of it was everyone had to leave the river front to get a bite to eat (unless you ate at Falls Landing or Wild Sage).

So Riverfest brought people to the river, then pushed them to the main drag and attraction of DT, Phillips Avenue, not the Sioux River.

I’m just saying.

By l3wis

10 thoughts on “Riverfest’s poor food vendor planning pays off”
  1. Jeff Scherschligt or Craig Lloyd must not have received their TIFs to get it done right…

  2. Sounds like a success. Folks who work downtown should have benefited from the event. Besides the fact we get enough corn dogs and sloppy pizza at every other shin dig.

  3. Agree, agree, agree, LJL. Sounds like a huge success for ALL of downtown. And – the river and the businesses around them were packed. Good grief – don’t find a beef just to find one. Give credit where credit is due as this was a DTSF event and it benefited their patrons.

  4. Karma, I would agree. I actually think the lack of food vendors helped DT restaurants, so that is wonderful also. My bigger point is that we can hold all kinds of festivals over on 8th street or at 4th and Phillips or at the Riverwalk, but it goes to show, people still come back to the core of DT, Phillips avenue.

  5. Not everyone can afford to eat at the establishments on Phillips Avenue……

    How about some less pricey options, so that all segments of Sioux Falls can participate!?

  6. cr, I’ve been saying that for years and the same goes for shopping in the downtown area. If they truly want to be successful, they have to get some lower priced business establishments down there. At the rate they are going they are catering to the well to do.

  7. JL beers sells less then quality hamburgers at a cheap rate, Mama Ladas is also affordable, as well as certain rolls at Tokyo and Masa, the Diner also has options. Luckys and the Hat have great Pizza, and for lunch, the Shack at Slumshine is wonderful. Don’t hate on DT SF dining, there is options. The breakfast buffet at the Holiday is cheap too, but bring rolaids.

  8. “JL beers sells less then quality hamburgers”

    You must be smoking your lunch because JL have the best burgers in town. Humpty dumpty burger and fresh cut chips YUM. Cheap food but expensive beer.

  9. Hey, too each their own. I guess I am not a fan of IBP pink slime burnt on both sides to a crisp in 75 seconds. I always tell people the best burger in town is at Outback, filet and sirloin trimmings ground beef, fresh, never frozen, Medium rare.

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