Two Step Inn music festival brings big business to downtown Georgetown

GEORGETOWN, Texas - Two Step Inn, one of the biggest country music festivals in Texas, took over San Gabriel Park this weekend in Georgetown, which has meant a big bump in business for nearby stores.

What is Two Step Inn?

What we know:

Two Step Inn's website says the festival is the world's largest outdoor honky-tonk, and it's held each April at San Gabriel Park in Georgetown.

This year's festival featured headliners Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Sturgill Simpson and Lynyrd Skynyrd among other acts spread across three stages.

The festival grounds also featured over 30 different food vendors, including some Central Texas favorites, and a market area.

By the numbers:

Officials anticipate roughly 70,000 people packed into San Gabriel Park over two days.

Two Step Inn's impact on local Georgetown businesses

Local perspective:

At Divine Treasures, Max, the store dog, lies sleepily on the counter. He’s been busy greeting shoppers all weekend.

"We’ve had packs of people coming in, buying lots of good things today," said Gaynelle Derr, who works at Divine Treasures. "People come from all over. I talk with people from Ohio, Pennsylvania, all over to come to the Two Step."

Every year, Derr tries to be two steps ahead of her customers.

"We’ve got lots of western clothes for women and vests and all kinds of things for them, and they come and buy skirts, and they come and buy everything and hats, we have western hats," said Derr.

Thanks to the rain Saturday morning and cold cloudy weather most of Sunday, Derr thinks this year lassoed in a few more shoppers.

"Today they didn't go as much, and they're in here shopping because they're tired of the mud and all the good singers," said Derr. "It's, you know, they're gone since that was yesterday, so today not so much. So now we're getting them in here to shop, so it's great!"

A few shops down at The Escape, Faith Lennier is seeing the same thing.

"It’s a lot like waves, you know, it gets busy as it’s been colder, a lot more people have been flocking to the square for, you know, cover and warmth," said Lennier.

Two Step Inn is kicking off a bigger rodeo with several other major events planned for April.

"I mean, it’s huge," said Lennier. "The tourism is huge. It’s you know, we’ve got our busy season. It’s poppy festival, art stroll, it’s Two Step Inn."

What's next:

Georgetown's annual Red Poppy Festival is set for the last weekend of April. 

The Georgetown Spring Art Stroll will be from 4-8 p.m. on April 18.