After a year and a half, the Carlsbad Country Street Circus resumed activities on Sunday.

The one-day event replaces the annual May event cancelled due to COVID-19.

“It’s great, it’s like being locked up for a long year,” said participant Rick Kreysar.

Carlsbad Village Street Faire is hosted by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and aims to reconnect with the community and bring business to the area. This is especially important for pop-up companies that now rely on events to make money.

“All major events stopped, so we had to adapt a little bit,” said Ray Brown, the owner of Branch & Vine.

Brown said that the return of major events means everything.

“Now we are almost back to 100% volatility,” he said.

Bret Schanzenbach, CEO and President of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, said that the street market on Sunday was smaller than usual because the supplier dropped by about 25%.

“Part of the decline in our numbers was because some of these companies were unsuccessful,” he said. “Many of the husband-and-wife industries from participating in street fairs to street fairs to street fairs have survived. They have a complete cycle of activities. Unfortunately, some of them have not stood the test.”

However, people flocked to support small businesses.

Schanzenbach said: “In the past, before the COVID, we estimated that there would be about 100 to 125,000 people, but now, just looking at these numbers, we feel very strong, as if very close to this number.”

This event helps to bring business to suppliers and surrounding companies.

“I have asked a few of them to tell me bluntly that this is their best working day of the year,” Schanzenbach said.

Shawnta Fleming, general manager of Handel’s homemade ice cream, said her business “increased sales by at least 10%.”

“The results are very good,” said Trevor Smith of Engel & Volkers, a real estate agent. “The people are great and warm. They are hosting us, and I am very happy to be back in front of the public, just like I am a person, and I like to see people.”