Alex Bay booms with Independence Day business and tourism

ALEXANDRIA BAY, New York (WWNY) – It’s Independence Day in the Bay with townies and travelers alike taking to the streets.

Ashley Carlos with the Chamber of Commerce tells us 4th of July weekend is one of the busiest times of the season.

“The 4th is obviously a well sought after event. The fireworks over Boldt Castle, the different restaurants into town, shopping, eating, resorts, the river. It’s a beautiful day, so I expect to see a lot of people on the river,” said Carlos.

And on the river, no one is doing better business than Uncle Sam Boat Tours, evident by the massive line of folks looking for tickets.

“Busy days are easier than slow days, honestly. It keeps everybody moving and we like to see lots of people,” said Nate Sourwine, Operations Manager of Uncle Sam Boat Tours.

And for the holiday, Uncle Sam Boat Tours is offering a fireworks cruise. It’ll provide views of the show above Boldt Castle.

“They sell out every year, but it’s a huge draw every year,” said Sourwine.

But boat tours aren’t the only service seeing a boom. Right across the street sits Riley’s by the River. Thanks to the holiday, the bar and restaurant is seeing higher than normal foot traffic.

“We have a lot of customers that enjoy a tour and cap it off with a cocktail or dinner with us as well,” said Kimberly Fadden, Manager of Riley’s by the River.

And with tourism comes shoppers, Monica Morgado, a cashier at River Magic, says she’s seen folks from all over.

“Oh, it’s been fun this Fourth of July. We got lots of people from all over the world. I just had some people here from England. I’ve had people from Africa and Great Britain,” said Morgado.

Come dusk, those fireworks will start shooting off right above Boldt Castle. So if you don’t want to miss them, swing by the Bay.

Copyright 2023 WWNY. All rights reserved.

Original Article

Leave a Comment