MumFest set to boost local business in New Bern

NEW BERN, N.C. — The 44th annual MumFest is set to bring a wave of visitors to downtown New Bern this weekend, offering a much-needed boost to local businesses. The festival, which last year attracted 53,000 attendees, is anticipated to draw even more this year, providing a vital opportunity for local shops to increase sales during a typically slow season.

Ashley Priester, store manager at Blue Magnolia on Middle Street, expressed optimism about the event’s potential impact. “The big kickoff is definitely MumFest weekend with just being in that holiday spirit and the community coming together,” she said.

Priester noted a general decline in sales across various businesses, including her own. “I just have noticed like throughout everywhere with like the candle business and here and other stores downtown and just generally speaking everywhere that people are kind of complaining that sales are down, and people aren’t coming in as much or shopping as much,” she said.

Jessica Lepp, an employee at the Black Cat Shoppe, echoed Priester’s sentiments. “We’re kind of looking to figure out how to boost sales in different ways, but we really do believe that MumFest is going to help boost the business,” Lepp said.

Many local businesses, preferring not to be on camera, agreed that MumFest is crucial for increasing business during slower periods. They are preparing by stocking up on inventory and staffing extra personnel to manage the expected influx of customers.

“We have extra people on this weekend in the store to kind of manage the extra influx of people,” Priester said. Lepp added, “We are preparing by bringing in extra inventory, and we are expecting an increase in sales although we’re not sure how much.”

Priester emphasized the importance of supporting small businesses during the festival. “Cause it’s really important, um there’s a lot of great shops down here—obviously including ours and we do our best to kind of try to make—make it so that is special for everybody this weekend,” she said.

MumFest will stretch from East Front Street to Hancock Street, running from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Local shops like Blue Magnolia and the Black Cat Shoppe are eager to welcome festival-goers.