IONIA, Mich. — More than 40,000 people are expected to travel to Ionia this August as fans flock to the Ionia Free Fair Grounds to see artists like Billy Strings perform at the Ionia Freak Fair.
Although the event is still six months away, tickets are already completely sold out and for those hoping to make a weekend of it, finding a place to stay in Ionia is becoming increasingly difficult.
Sharon Conley, who operates two Airbnb properties in Ionia, says her units were already booked before she realized this year’s concert series was going to be one of the city's largest single events they've seen in over a decade.
“We had a lot of really quick succession requests for lodging and went, ‘Oh, okay, this is a bigger thing than we thought,’” she said, “I just didn’t realize how big this concert is going to be.”
Conley says she received double-digit booking inquiries in a short period of time, something she’s not used to seeing, even during the free fair’s typical 10-day run.
“The sense of urgency is very rare,” she said, “[the Ionia Free Fair] doesn’t normally draw people from out of state, and the concert is drawing people from out of state, all over the area.”
A search for lodging in Ionia for the weekend of August 28-29th shows no available properties within the city. Nearby accommodations are also filling quickly.
The Ionia Recreation Area says they're completely booked for both cabins and campsites that weekend. City leaders say they’re well aware of the shortage.
“Everything is already booked for the weekend of the event, and so we are looking into what would it take to create some additional camping opportunities,” said Precia Garland, Ionia’s city manager.
With more than 20,000 people expected to attend the concert each day, Garland says the city is exploring licensing options for temporary campgrounds to help accommodate visitors.
Garland says all of those visitors won’t just fill campsites and rooms, they could also deliver a major economic boost to the community.
“When you’re bringing in about twice the size of your normal city population for two days, you’re going to see tremendous economic impact, potentially millions of dollars in commerce from people who are staying here,” Garland said.
Conley says she hopes visitors not only enjoy the music, but also take time to explore the community.
“We have a lot of things going for our community, so it’s lovely to see people come in,” she said, “I just hope people will explore the community while they’re here.”
While there is not yet a finalized plan for when or where additional camping opportunities could be added, discussions are ongoing as the event approaches.
