How downtown Sacramento foot traffic has fared this holiday season
SACRAMENTO — As we near the new year, folks were still out shopping in Sacramento post-Christmas.
The week between Christmas and New Year's Day is historically considered one of the busiest weeks from a pedestrian standpoint.
"Our business owners here in the Old Sacramento waterfront and throughout the central city of downtown really depend on the Greater Sacramento area to come together in the holidays," said Scott Ford, deputy director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.
Ford noted that whenever people choose to shop local, "two-thirds of the dollar" goes toward the city's economy.
According to the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, Old Sacramento has seen a 5% increase in pedestrian traffic between Thanksgiving and the final week of the year. Downtown Sacramento, in general, has seen 4% more visitors this year.
Troy Carlson, CEO of Stage Nine Entertainment in Old Sacramento, called Christmastime "the cherry on top" for local business.
"Sales were up. Traffic was up. It was busy. It was great to see everyone out," Carlson said.
Carlson added that Stage Nine sales this year have surpassed pre-pandemic numbers.
Ford said that the downtown area is at around 80% this year compared to 2019's numbers.
"We want to continue to see continued increase in pedestrian activity into 2025," he said. "It really is the foundation of our regional economy, making sure we're keeping our dollars local."
Old Sacramento will be holding a New Year's Eve celebration.
