MEMPHIS, Tenn. — RiverBeat Festival is in its final hours Sunday night, with the Dave Matthews Band taking the stage as thousands of fans gather along the Mississippi River at Tom Lee Park.
Organizers estimate more than 30,000 people attended the three-day festival, prompting questions about what that crowd could mean for the Memphis economy.
Big Crowds, Big Names, Big Spending?
From Ice Cube to T‑Pain to Dave Matthews Band, RiverBeat brought major acts to the Bluff City—and according to many downtown business owners, that attention translated into increased foot traffic.
“RiverBeat has been a wonderful story for all of us right now downtown,” said Jeff Zepatos, owner of The Arcade Restaurant. “Downtown has been full of wonderful folks coming here to experience downtown.”
FOX13 spoke with 12 businesses total — six downtown and six in Midtown.
Downtown Businesses Feel the Impact
About half of the downtown businesses FOX13 contacted said they saw a noticeable boost they attribute directly to the festival.
At Afterburner Cigar Lounge, owner Marvin Roddy described a modest increase.
“Yeah, actually a moderate pump—I would not say an overwhelming bump,” Roddy said. “We had people stop by, buy some cigars, and then head down to the event.”
Midtown Sees Less Spillover
Just over three miles away in Overton Square, most businesses reported little to no impact.
Five of the six Midtown owners and managers FOX13 contacted said RiverBeat did not noticeably affect their business.
“I did not see that much of an impact on me here,” said Madhu Ankusetty, owner of New Golden India Restaurant. “Maybe because we are far away from downtown.”
One Midtown shop owner, however, did notice some out-of-town visitors.
“I talked to several people who said that they were from out of town, and they came,” said Cierra Wood, owner of Courtyard Treasures & Antiques.
Estimating RiverBeat’s Economic Impact
While official attendance and spending figures won’t be released until after the festival, FOX13 analyzed publicly available tourism data to estimate RiverBeat’s potential direct economic impact.
If 30,000 attendees stayed three nights in Memphis, total visitor spending could reach approximately $16.6 million.
Even if that figure is cut in half to account for local attendees, the estimated impact remains significant.
FOX13 spoke with Ashley McCoy, who traveled from New Jersey for the festival.
“Yeah, I’ve dropped a couple of bags at the Peabody,” McCoy said.
Business Owners Want More Events
Nearly every business owner FOX13 interviewed shared one common message: they want more large-scale events like RiverBeat.
“At the arcade, we’ve been busy and it’s been fun,” Zepatos said. “Downtown’s downtown again, guys.”
What’s Next?
RiverBeat wraps up Sunday night, with the Dave Matthews Band closing out the festival on the riverfront.
While the final economic numbers are still to come, for fans, the payoff is already clear — world-class music on the banks of the Mississippi River, right here in Memphis.