Twain on Main kicks off Saturday

HANNIBAL (WGEM) - The City of Hannibal is kicking off summer with Twain on Main this weekend.

With Twain on Main kicking off Saturday, downtown business owners hope to see local visitors and out of towners alike.

What they’re really hoping to see is their businesses profiting from the influx of people visiting the festival.

Vendors are busy preparing for the annual Twain on Main in downtown Hannibal.

Historic Hannibal Marketing Council President Katy Welch, said the weekend long event is based off of author Mark Twain’s book, titled Roughing It.

“Which is about his time out west, and so the festival is western themed and so there’s children’s area, live music all day, vendors, food reenactments,” Welch said.

Along with honoring Mark Twain and celebrating summer events starting, Welch said the Twain on Main allows vendors to sell their goods in a more visible way.

She said small business owners in the downtown district profit from the higher influx of customers as well.

“It’s definitely a big weekend for most of the businesses downtown, the bars and restaurants especially always have a good weekend all the hotels and B&B’s typically fill up this weekend,” Welch said.

Owner of Becky’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor, Frank North, is one small business owner looking forward to so many coming to downtown.

“People get to see Hannibal, they get to experience the old time that we have down here and hope fully they’ll go home and tell their friends,” North said.

North said summer festivals, like Twain on Main, act as a bonus for his sales and help set his business up for financial success after their busy season in the summer comes to a close.

“So these festivals just kind of give us a little boost to help us get through the summer and help us get through the winter,” North said.

The festival is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday.

More than 100 vendors from across the Tri-States will be stationed over the weekend.

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