IONIA, Mich. — The Ionia Free Fair may have wrapped up, but another major event is already drawing attention and crowds to the city.
Thousands of fans are expected to make their way to Ionia next month for Billy Strings’ sold-out Ionia Freak Fair, a two-day music festival scheduled for Aug. 28 and 29 at the Ionia Free Fairgrounds. As the city prepares to welcome the large crowds, local businesses and event organizers are getting ready for what could be one of the busiest weekends of the year.
WATCH: From Free Fair to Freak Fair: Ionia gears up for another major event
"This could be the biggest weekend Ionia's ever had," said Kimberly Stevenson, manager of American Inn & Suites.
Stevenson said demand for lodging was immediate. According to her, every room at the hotel was booked within a day, before organizers had even announced where the festival would be held.
"We started a waiting list," Stevenson said. "I stopped taking names on the waiting list eventually because I could fill the hotel probably three more times."
The excitement surrounding the event comes as Michigan native and Grammy Award-winning artist Billy Strings prepares to bring thousands of fans to Ionia for the inaugural festival.
With the influx of visitors expected, Stevenson said her staff is preparing much like they would for a fair weekend.
"Make sure everybody's here and healthy, and stock up a lot on bedding and breakfast, and just prepare that way," she said. "Just kind of like we do for fair or for big sellout weekends."
The preparations extend beyond local hotels. Just days after the conclusion of the Ionia Free Fair, crews at the fairgrounds have already shifted their focus to the Freak Fair.
"If you kind of look around, it looks like there wasn't even a fair here," said Ionia Free Fair Manager Mike Clark Thursday. "We're moving quick and getting ready for Billy Strings and the Freak Fair."
Clark said putting together a festival of this scale requires significant planning and staffing, especially with only a few weeks between the fair and the music festival.
"Just getting our staffing around, getting everything for parking cars, beer servers, I mean, there's just a lot that goes into this thing," Clark said. "With only really a month to get from the fair to here, it's going to take some time to put it all together, but it'll be fun."
As anticipation builds, Stevenson has some advice for residents who may not be interested in joining the festivities.
"If you're not into it, just don't come to town for those days," she said with a laugh. "Just let the people run."
She also encouraged visitors traveling from outside the area to plan ahead, noting that ongoing construction on I-96 could impact travel times. Stevenson recommends drivers use GPS navigation to help avoid delays and detours.
The Ionia Freak Fair is scheduled for Aug. 28 and 29 at the Ionia Free Fairgrounds. Tickets for the event have already sold out, with organizers expecting thousands of attendees from across Michigan and beyond.
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