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Downtown Businesses See Boost As Launch Music Festival Draws Thousands

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Music was heating up the night in downtown Sacramento as thousands of fans rocked out at Sunday's LAUNCH Music Festival.

Organizers say headliner Imagine Dragons was a performance people came from hundreds of miles away to see. It's a sign of things that could come in a few years when a downtown arena is built a few blocks away.

Music from some of the hottest emerging artists in the industry could be heard echoing through Cesar Chavez Plaza.

"Those are big headlining artists and they are bringing in out of town people," said one attendee.

Organizers were saying welcome to the new age of the city's effort to revitalize the music scene and bring in business.

"It draws a lot of people from the Bay Area. We've talked to people from Southern California who are here," said one vendor.

Thousands packing into Cesar Chazez Plaza means lots of money was spent at all the local vendors.

"It's great. It gets people out. It gets people doing something and spending some money. It just stays here, local, in the community," said one man.

And that makes people who live and work in Sacramento pretty excited.

"You're brining in people that normally wouldn't spend money in Sacramento. I already spent at least $100 here, not gonna lie," one concert attendee said.

It was a chance to hear some of the best in music, without the usual long drive; and it was a big opportunity to boost the local economy.

"It's great for Sacramento; it's exactly what we need more of," said one man.

Organizers say at least 10,000 people paid to see the bands this weekend. It's the biggest attendance they've had in their five year history.

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