The Madison Film Festival took over the city's downtown for the weekend, and by all indications, it is here to stay.
Since its humble beginnings eight years ago, the film festival has grown in popularity and proved to be a boon for downtown Madison. From coffee shops to hotels, the city's businesses have benefitted from the state's largest film festival.
The Orpheum, 216 State St., was the festival's first theater. With a bar, restaurant and two screens, The Orpheum is also one of downtown Madison's most recognizable and popular cinemas.
But according to Orpheum employee Nate Matteson, the Wisconsin Film Festival brings the theater its biggest business of the year. And 2006 has been a particularly busy film festival year for The Orpheum.
Matteson said all three Sunday shows were full, which is unusual since people are usually movied out\ by the end of the weekend.
""I can't really think of a con,"" Matteson said of the festival's impact on downtown business.
Stacy Komar of Fair Trade Coffee, 418 State St., said the festival is a bonus for every State Street store. She said Fair Trade particularly benefited from its laid back atmosphere and family friendly environment.
""We were packed all day,"" said Komar, who worked Saturday, generally the festival's busiest day.
She added that people had come from all over to visit the festival, meaning that instead of serving people from Madison, Komar was pouring coffee for clientele from Milwaukee and Middleton.
Tommy Sheean worked over the weekend at the University Inn, 441 N Frances St. He said the hotel saw two of its busiest nights of the year. Only high school state tournaments come close to bringing as much revenue to the hotel as the Wisconsin Film Festival, Sheean said, adding that the hotel is closed for Halloween.
""We were very busy on Friday,"" Sheean said. ""And the film festival definitely contributed significantly.""
Sheean said 2006 was more busy than 2005 for the hotel, a fact that points to an increasingly popular Wisconsin Film Festival.
""Last year, half of the hotel was vacant on Friday and Saturday,"" Sheean said. ""This year, there was one room available on Friday and four on Saturday.""\
