The Jefferson Review
Festus Main Street Bets Big With New Tanglefoot Pub Crawl
With a full weekend of music, food, shopping, and local businesses on display, Festus Main Street leaders say the new pub crawl is about more than drinks. It is about building downtown into a destination.
By The Jefferson Review Team
Downtown Festus has spent the last several years building momentum, and this spring local leaders are hoping to turn that energy into an even bigger draw for residents and visitors alike.
The Festus Main Street Association is launching the First Annual Tanglefoot Pub Crawl on Saturday, May 2, as part of the larger Festus Main Street Music and Art Festival. The new event will bring people through eight different locations on Main Street while also helping raise money for future downtown events.
For Festus Main Street Association President Tom Vogel, the idea is simple. If downtown Festus is going to keep growing, people need more reasons to come experience everything it has to offer.
“We promote downtown Festus, try to get as much foot traffic as possible on Festus Main Street, and help tourism.”
That mission has become increasingly important as Main Street continues to evolve. Vogel said downtown Festus has seen an influx of new businesses in recent years, including more restaurants, bars, coffee shops, boutiques, and entertainment venues. Commercial properties rarely stay on the market long, and the district has developed into one of the county’s most unique gathering places.
Festus Main Street, Vogel said, has become something of its own destination.
“We want Festus Main Street to have its own gravitational pull.”
Tom Vogel President of Festus Main Street Association
The new pub crawl is designed to build on that momentum.
For $70, participants will receive a T-shirt, a color bracelet that helps organize groups throughout the route, and a passport good for a free drink at each of the participating stops along Main Street. Tickets are limited and organizers expect them to sell quickly.
The event will take place while all three blocks of East Main Street are closed for the Music and Art Festival, creating a walkable district filled with live music, food, shopping, and entertainment throughout the day.
According to Vogel, the crawl is not just about having a good time. It is also a strategic fundraiser.
Festus Main Street Association helps organize and promote downtown events, but like many nonprofit groups, cash flow can be a challenge. The organization often receives tourism support on a reimbursement basis, meaning it must front event expenses before getting paid back later. Fundraisers like the pub crawl help fill that gap and make larger events possible.
The pub crawl was originally planned for later in the summer but organizers moved it up to May in order to help fund the final pieces of the Music and Art Festival.
A Full Weekend on Main Street
On Saturday, May 2, live music will begin around noon in different spaces up and down Main Street, with the main stage starting at 5 p.m. The evening headline acts will be Mattie Mo & the Rockets and Mojosaurus, each playing two-hour sets through 11 p.m. The festival will also feature three food trucks and the many restaurants, bars, shops, and gathering spots that now define the district.
Once the Saturday concert wraps up and the stage is removed, the focus shifts on Sunday, May 3 to an artist and crafter fair, building on the tradition of the Art Walk that has been held for the past five years. Food trucks and live music will continue throughout the downtown area.
Downtown Festus now offers coffee shops, ice cream shops, boutique shopping, restaurants, bars, comedy, live music, and more businesses expected to open soon. For residents looking for a close-to-home destination with local flavor, the district is making a strong case for itself.
Tanglefoot Pub Crawl Stops
Pedal’n Pi
Main + Mill
Petit Paris
The Brick
Four Brothers Mead
Central Tap
Pogolino’s
The Contrarian
Glass Brick mobile cigar lounge
Event Links
Buy Tanglefoot Pub Crawl Tickets
Buy Mouse Races Tickets or Sponsorships
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