Stroll on State Brings 66,000 People Downtown

Just getting back to work after an extended holiday vacation, I've been trying to catch up on some of the things we may have missed at the end of the year.

One of those things is the attendance figures from the third annual Stroll on State, which my family (and thousands of other families) thoroughly enjoyed.

From the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (RACVB):

The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau produces the annual event, which quickly became a Rockford tradition when it debuted 2013. Each year the event has grown in both size and scope, with this year's event attendance estimated at 66,000 visitors (determined by aerial photography, feedback from crowd spotters, shuttle bus ridership and sales/participation numbers for local businesses and attractions throughout the duration of the event).

Not only did Stroll on State bring in a record amount of people, nearly everyone who attended had a great time, and they plan to return next year.

In a post-event survey, festival goers gave the event and downtown Rockford high marks. Of the nearly 800 responses to the survey, 92 percent said the event was "Excellent" or "Very Good" or "Good." And 91 percent said they would return to downtown Rockford in the future based on their Stroll on State experience.

A few more numbers, courtesy of RACVB:

• 85 percent made a purchase while attending.
• 60 percent of shoppers spent more than $25.
• 92 percent of those attending were from Winnebago County, with 47 percent from Rockford.
• 37 percent said 2015 was the first time they attended Stroll on State.
• 89 percent said they would recommend Stroll on State to a friend.
• 70 percent said they experienced Stroll for more than 2 hours.