Featured
Signs This Could Be Oxford's Biggest Double Decker Festival Of All
In recent years, the Double Decker Festival has attracted around 66,000 tourists on average. However, Visit Oxford’s Joe Scott expects a record number of visitors this year.
“I think it’s going to be a much bigger crowd,” Scott said. He credits a new partnership with the university’s Student Activities Association.
The partnership increased the Double Decker budget and allowed the festival to book the indie rock band, Cold War Kids, for Saturday, as well as artists such as alternative blues band, Houndmouth.
“That is going to be huge,” Scott said. “We were very excited to book Houndmouth, but booking the Cold War Kids will bring in a crowd.”
Almost every hotel room in Oxford will be filled according to Scott, maxing out 98 to 99 percent of occupancy.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1slYGoAlJANEzNHwgVqz4WLqG4D4ONUoj&ll=34.364805878369374%2C-89.41940139999997&z=12
A total of 28 hotels are listed on the Visit Oxford website.
“We get a two percent tax on top of hotel rooms,” Scott said. “All that money goes back to helping out the town, and putting more money back into infrastructure and back into town projects.”
Local tourist attractions like author William Faulkner’s estate, Rowan Oak, are also expecting a full house.A visitor service representative for the home, Rachel Hudson, anticipates about 100 people will tour the site.
“In terms of Double Decker weekend, I think we will expect the same type of crowds we get for football weekends here, which is pretty crazy sometimes,” Hudson said.
Though the huge crowds can strain the city’s infrastructure for the weekend, Scott says the festival is a win for the city overall.
“As long as everybody has a good time and stays relatively calm, then yeah, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKR-Eppa9V4&feature=youtu.be
Story contributed by Sarah Liese, Gracie Snyder and Chance Robertson.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login