Festival of Oddities expected to draw nearly 20,000 visitors to Charlotte

• Eaton County is known for its events and festivals in the summer months.
• 2025 is no different with the Festival of Oddities and Frontier Days.
• Charlotte's summer festivals bring economic boost to local businesses.

Watch: Festival of Oddities expected to draw nearly 20,000 visitors to Charlotte.

Eaton County is known for its events and festivals in the summer months, and 2025 is no different with the Festival of Oddities and Frontier Days coming up as two major festivals for the city.

The Festival of Oddities has grown significantly over the years, becoming a major economic driver for local businesses.

"I felt like there is a lot of community that would really enjoy it and bring people to downtown. Some of our businesses that are super busy downtown, they give their employees the day off to be able to come," Organizer of the Festival of Oddities Julie Kimmer said.

Kimmer showed me a sneak peek of some of the displays visitors will see at the event later this month and noted the festival's impressive growth.

"It's a huge crowd, somewhere just under 20,000 people come,"Organizer of the Festival of Oddities Julie Kimmer said.

Local businesses are already preparing for the influx of visitors. Mike Sanchez, cook at Eaton Place restaurant, said the summer festivals provide a significant boost to their operations.

"It brings a lot of people in here, our business almost doubles when that thing is going on," Eaton Place cook Mike Sanchez said.

"All of those definitely help traffic around here, business, all of it, and it makes it kind of exciting around here," Eaton Place cook Mike Sanchez said.

The festival also serves as a showcase for Charlotte's downtown area, attracting visitors from across the region.

"It's amazing how many people flock to this festival. It draws in from all over. This is an event you see all walks of life come and celebrate," Volunteer for the Festival of Oddities Kim Curran said.

Kimmer believes this year's event could be the biggest one yet.

"So I think it's going to be bigger than ever," Volunteer for the Festival of Oddities Kim Curran said.

The Festival of Oddities will be held at the courthouse museum on Saturday, August 30, and Sunday afternoon, August 31, in Charlotte.

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