Local hospitality to benefit from festival

The East Lansing Art Festival will be taking over the streets of downtown East Lansing this weekend, and local businesses are in preparation mode.

Brent Kanitz, manager of Harper’s Restaurant & Brewpub, 131 Albert Ave., said he is looking forward to the business the East Lansing Art Festival will bring because last weekend was slow after students left.

Next weekend is Memorial Day, and that is not generally a busy time, he said.

“It’s nice to rely on the weekend to be busy,” Kanitz said. “It will definitely be a good weekend.”

Harper’s will adjust its schedules to make sure there is extra staff on hand during the day, he said.

Green River Cafe co-owner Josephine Jabara said the restaurant, 211 M.A.C. Ave., is going to have a breakfast that will include items that aren’t typically on the menu.

“We’re really excited about (the art festival) because it brings in business,” Jabara said. “We will take good care of our visitors.”

Menna’s Joint manager Steve Myers said the restaurant, 115 Albert Ave., will be preparing by getting more bottled water for the festival.

“We should get a little bit more business, but not a dramatic increase,” Myers said.

“There are a lot of vendors that people go to before they come to the city stores.”

Joe Bell, the owner of The Peanut Barrel Restaurant, 521 E. Grand River Ave., said he has experienced about 30 art festivals in East Lansing.

“It used to be really huge for us back in the day when the festival ran in front of us, but now that it’s moved to the other side of town, it’s not as big of a deal,” Bell said.

Despite the new location, the staff will still be working hard.

“The intensity picks up because you have people coming that aren’t from the area, so if we can pull it off and do a good job we have the potential to bring people back,” Bell said.

Linda Dufelmeier, co-owner of Mackerel Sky Gallery of Contemporary Craft, 217 Ann St. Plaza, said the gallery will be open during the festival and will contribute by giving money to the festival.

Dufelmeier said she and the gallery are more than ready for the weekend.

“It’s what we do,” she said. “We’re more than ready for it.”

Published on Thursday, May 15, 2008