Last weekend's Summer Solstice Jazz Festival didn't bring just good music to East Lansing, but better business and more people as well, city officials said.

Even though the event was free of charge and it's difficult to establish how many people attended, Ami Van Antwerp, one of the coordinators of the event, said she estimated about 3,000 people showed up on Friday and Saturday.

People at local businesses and restaurants said the event helped them.

Sam Romero, a manager for Woody's Oasis Bar and Grill on Grand River Avenue said the festival affected the amount of people they served.

"We were definitely busier on Friday than usual, and Saturday picked up as the day went along," Romero said. "The funny thing is, as soon as the jazz festival ended, the town just died.

"It was even slower than a Friday or Saturday night usually is."

The jazz festival is not the only event that has had an impact on business in East Lansing.

Events like the East Lansing Art Festival bring in more people to shop at the stores and eat at the restaurants, which helps the businesses.

Sharon Radtke, the arts program coordinator who organized the art festival, said on Saturday that this year's art festival looked to be the biggest crowd the festival had ever seen.

"The reason we could tell there were a lot of people on Saturday was all the places to park, like structures and garages, were filled to capacity," Radtke said.

"This had never happened at that event before, so we know from this that we were receiving a lot of people at the event."

According to a market survey done by the city over the course of five years, events like the art festival can bring in up to $2.2 million in retail and $1.8 million to restaurants.

"A lot of people who are attending something like the jazz festival come downtown and eat first before going to the festival," Radtke said.

"I believe that these festivals are helping local businesses and the community, as well."

Romero said other events besides the jazz festival bring in big crowds that benefit Woody's.

"We always stock up the staff during events like the jazz festival," Romero said.

"The location always helps, and we do a little bit of advertising to attract people from the festivals."

Tim Dempsey, East Lansing community and economic development administrator, said not all retail businesses receive a huge financial boost, but said if anything, they are at least getting the attention they need.

"The general rule on these events is that most of the impact is largely seen in the food services, like at Woody's, but retail is not necessarily receiving more money," Dempsey said.

"One thing they are doing, though, is allowing people to realize they are here so that they can come back later and enjoy a shopping experience."

Dempsey added that even if the event wasn't making huge amounts of money, it is still a boost for the city.

"It is a very positive thing for the city," he said.

"It brings people to the downtown, gives a sense of community — people seeing their neighbors down there.

"These events are absolutely a great thing for East Lansing."

Van Antwerp said something like a jazz festival is not only trying to entertain the people but also helping to make East Lansing a more exciting place to be spend time in.

"When we put on these events, we are really trying to make the downtown more of a livelier place to be," Van Antwerp said.