Organizers secure transient guest tax money for Big Blue River Days; plan seating and family activities downtown

Organizers for Big Blue River Days told the Marysville City Council that the event draws a regional crowd and that planners want to extend how long visitors stay in town. The council approved a funding request of $3,499.96 from the city’s transient guest tax to support downtown seating and other measures intended to boost visitor dwell time and spending.

Wayne Cruzey of 1 Marysville presented the request and data from last year’s event, saying "2 thirds of the people that came to Big Blue River Days were from outside of Marysville," and that "38% of the people only spent 45 minutes at Big Blue River Days." Cruzey said organizers are adding vendor fairs, activities for families and Hot Wheels races for children to increase time spent downtown.

Cruzey also described a longstanding contract between the city and 1 Marysville and said the organization receives $80,000 annually under that agreement. He told the council the organization uses data from sources including Placer AI to guide event planning and to encourage downtown foot traffic rather than one‑stop shopping at large businesses.

The approved allocation will fund benches and movable seating intended for the Seventh Street corridor and other temporary shade structures to support events such as Food Truck Fridays and Brown Bag Bites, city staff said. The council also approved a separate temporary exemption and an extension of premises for the Big Blue Barbecue to ensure event vendors have options if ABC approvals are delayed.

Council members asked staff to track the transient guest tax balance and to continue coordinating with downtown businesses so event changes align with vendor needs. The city administrator noted the current transient guest tax balance was discussed in the packet but exact balances and long‑term commitments will be confirmed as part of budget planning.