SPARTA, Mich. — One of Sparta's oldest community events, Town and Country Days, begins Wednesday evening, marking the start of the summer season and drawing visitors from across the area.
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The five-day festival, which runs through Sunday, is expected to provide a significant boost to local businesses in the downtown area.
Blondie Blossom Boutique, which relocated to a prime downtown Sparta location in November, is among the businesses preparing for the influx of visitors.
"We see just this huge reach that it brings people into town, and they may even browse by or not even stop in during the festival itself, but then weeks to months later, those same people are coming back, and they're bringing friends, and they're visiting and shopping and spending their money here in town, which is fantastic," said Kendra Afton, owner of Blondie Blossom Boutique.
The boutique plans to maximize the crowds with sidewalk sales during the festival.
"I think it's fantastic that there's going to be a lot of people, a lot of families, downtown this weekend for the festival, and I think it's going to give us a ton of exposure. I think there's going to be a lot of people in, and I think it's just going to continue to grow from there," Afton said.
Elizabeth Morse, director of the Sparta Chamber of Commerce, said the festival was started 80 years ago to bring neighbors to the village for shared activities.
"What this weekend does is kick off, kind of those visitors that will come in and check out our restaurants, see what we have going on for our boutiques and businesses to support," Morse said.
Festival-goers will notice a new addition downtown: a replica of the old train depot featuring a community room and public bathrooms, designed to encourage visitors to spend more time in the area.
"We are having a sneak peek during Town and Country days. And construction is almost finished with that building. Just so as soon as that's finished, it will be a public bathroom that will be open seven days a week," Morse said.
The festival will feature a parade celebrating America's 250th anniversary on Saturday. A full schedule of events is available on the Sparta Chamber of Commerce website, spartachamber.com
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