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Memorial Day Weekend economic opportunities for Harrisburg postponed, pushed online


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Memorial Day Weekend in Harrisburg typically draws in tens of thousands of people into the area: a huge economic impact for the city.

This year, coronavirus is eliminating that boost.

Artsfest on the riverfront and baseball on City Island are two major events that bring money into Harrisburg.

"Habitually have been the biggest crowds of the season it’s when they really start coming," said Randy Whittaker, the General Manager of the Harrisburg Senators.

The team hasn't played a single game yet this season because of the virus.

Whittaker said the holiday weekend typically looked like this: "6,500 to 7,000 [fans] on a Friday and a Saturday might do the same. On Sunday, maybe just a tick down, and then what would have been a noon game on Monday, we’d have 4,500 to 5,000 people in then too," Whittaker said.

In conjunction with baseball, Artsfest would draw a crowd to downtown restaurants.

"On the one hand, it’s disappointing. This is something that everyone looks forward to, brings tens of thousand of people to the riverfront," Mayor Eric Papenfuse said. "It’s really the start of summer."

The city pushed the event online for a virtual experience. Papenfuse recognized that people rely on the festival circuit to make ends meet.

"We’re hoping we can generate some economic activity for these businesses, help them survive, and make it through one end of this crisis to the other so that they’ll be back in person for next year's Artsfest."

Right now, the Sneators are trying to plan for the future, but it's proving to be difficult.

"A key part of our business is the crowds that come out, especially when we’re coming into the season when we get full ballparks," Whittaker said. "There’s no denying it’s going to be difficult, but we’re dedicated to moving forward, and we have to take the cards we’re dealt, and that’s how we’re going work with it."

Despite Dauphin County going yellow this Friday in the re-opening plan and eventually going green, Whittaker said they're down until Major League Baseball makes a decision on what to do next.

"It’s hard to run on a bunch of 'what ifs,' and that’s just where or world is right now," Whittaker said.

The best way to support Senators baseball, Whittaker said, is to buy from team shop and come out to games when they're allowed to play ball.

Papenfuse also had some news for the Fourth of July, saying the city is committed to putting on a firework display, and they are confident they can do it safely with social distancing.



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