Vendors see drop in sales at Riverfest

LITTLE ROCK — Raydean Wood’s “Rodeo Style Mud Bugs and More” Riverfest 2012 stand saw fewer crawfish and alligator-on a-stick eaters this year.

In her sixth year as a Riverfest vendor, Wood said she estimates her stand could see sales drop an estimated $4,000 from last year.

Wood said she’s not sure whether the 90-degree weather has steered customers away or the economy forced some potential customers to clench their wallets a little tighter. Still, Wood said she’s grateful for any business because she knows others have not had as much luck.

“I’m still tickled with what I’ve done,” she said.

Other vendors at the annual three-day festival said they too experienced a drop in business and said the economy or festival turnout could have played a role. But Riverfest officials said the festival so far has been “very successful” and contend that other vendors have had a good festival sales-wise.

The Verizon Wireless booth activated 12 phone contracts in its second year, booth volunteer Bois Martin said.

“Last year we did zero, so if you compare it to last year we’re up 1,200 percent,” Martin said, crediting the booth’s engaging volunteers for the uptick in sales.

A basic one-person, one phone plan activation means about $335 in revenue, he said.

Terry Sherbourne manned the cash register at the “Village Idiot” booth Sunday afternoon.

While customers had been in and out of his tent throughout the weekend, he said, jewelry and tiki bar sign sales were “off.”

“We’ll be lucky if we break even,” Sherbourne said.

Sherbourne said the slow business has been the trend the past two years for his stand, even at larger events like state fairs in New York, Wisconsin and Oklahoma.

He credits the slow business to a recovering economy and said he hopes business picks up next year.

Sunglasses sales for the “$10 Sunglasses” booth likely dropped about $2,000 from last year, said David Brown, one of the booth’s operators. Brown said he thinks foot traffic for the festival was down.

Festival Chairman Angie Johnson said she expects final attendance figures by Tuesday at the latest.

But Johnson said she’s also pleased with how safe the festival’s been.

Little Rock police spokesman officer Michelle Howard said Sunday evening that officers had cited 49 people for drinking-related offenses such as minor in possession.

Police arrested one man on public-intoxication charges and transported another man to the hospital because of his drinking, Howard said.

Only one car in the River Market vicinity had been broken into, Howard said. She hoped the festival would close out as “mellow” as it had been so far.

“It’s nice when all the citizens in our lovely city can get together and enjoy the festivities of Riverfest,” Howard said. “We’re very fortunate.”