NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- It's back to business as usual for the bars, restaurants and shops in downtown Nashville following the Let Freedom Sing concert and fireworks celebrating the Fourth of July.
What was billed as the nation's biggest fireworks display this weekend – in terms of the number of fireworks used -- turned out to have an underwhelming number of people show up to watch. Only about half of the attendees expected actually attended.
Metro Police estimate about 150,000 people made it downtown for the concert with Martina McBride and the fireworks show.
Despite the low turnout this year, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. said restaurants, shops and bars downtown still had a great night, especially because this Fourth of July landed on a Saturday.
For the weekend, the bureau said they estimate between $10 to 15 million worth of economic impact, even with the downpour that forced some performances to be put on hold for half an hour. They say they wouldn't be surprised if the rain actually helped some businesses.
“When the weather hits, it helps them, because instead of people coming out, they're jumping inside,” said Butch Spyridon with the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp.
The Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. says ten years ago, only 10,000 people came to the Fourth of July fireworks, so even a turnout of 150,000 this year is a big increase from just a decade ago.
