JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The One Spark festival is estimated to bring about $1.8 million into the Jacksonville economy, and downtown businesses are feeling the boost.
It's almost impossible to find an open hotel room this week, and popular shops and restaurants are benefiting from the crowds attending the crowdfunding festival.
While some mom-and-pop stores are getting a boost in sales this week, they said they're also getting something even more valuable: recognition.
Jennifer O'Donnell manages Chamblin Uptown, a cafe and bookstore on Laura Street, in the heart the One Spark festivities.
"One Spark is amazing. We do almost a month's worth of sales in a five-day period," O'Donnell said. "It's very good for business."
De Real Ting Cafe, on Adams Street, offers Caribbean-inspired food.
"A lot of people don't even know that we're down here," said Kris Vega, a waitress at the restaurant.
Vega said the restaurant gets a lot of new customers during One Spark week.
"It's like 100 percent more people," Vega said. "On a typical day, we'll have around 25 people. During One Spark, we sell out of food."
Local businesses can't buy this type of publicity.
"So many people downtown, so many people walking by, all day until Sunday, it's great exposure," Vega said.
"It's better, I think, for name-brand recognition," O'Donnell said. "A lot of people are discovering a lot of really cool little shops that are downtown, aside from ours."
Many local shops sign on as official One Spark venues, hoping to get even more people in the door in hopes they'll like it enough to return after the festival ends.