“There’s around 60 businesses in the neighborhood. And the overwhelming majority of them—especially the ones that sell food and liquor—make a ton of money during the block party. There’s some businesses that make more that weekend than they do in whole months throughout the year… the employees of those businesses, if they’re tip workers, they make a ton. There’s hundreds of people up there that rely on this event to make money.” —Dave Meinert, one of several Capitol Hill Block Party organizers.

Of course, not everyone in the neighborhood joins Meinert in his enthusiasm.