Businesses are anticipating significant boosts in revenue this weekend as a result of the influx of visitors to this year's Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival.

The festival runs today through Sunday at Cooper's Lake Campground in Worth Township along with a Jeep Invasion of downtown tonight.

More than 1,000 Jeeps and 20,000 people are expected to attend the third annual festival, making for a profitable weekend for businesses.

“It's a big boost,” Jeff Eberhardt, owner of Pizza Joe's on North Main Street, said of the festival's effect on his restaurant. “We expect to take in at least another grand or more in revenue.”

Eberhardt said shutting down Main Street has a significant impact on almost every business downtown.

“We look forward to it every year,” he said. “We wish they would do something like this every month. Anything that can bring business downtown — we all benefit.”

Bill Atkinson, owner and executive chef at the Chop Shop on North Main Street, is expecting a big weekend for his restaurant. The Chop Shop will serve its normal hours today at its downtown location, but it also will be out at the festival at Cooper's Lake.

“It helps us significantly,” Atkinson said. “We'll probably serve twice as many people Friday night as well as a couple hundred more out at Cooper's Lake.”

The extra work should pay off for Atkinson.

“It depends on the weather, but we could be double what we normally would be at,” Atkinson said of prospective revenue. “Friday night alone will be an increase.”

Kelly Huffman, a managing partner with Texas Roadhouse at the Clearview Mall, is confident the large crowd that will be here for the festival will lead to a successful weekend for all businesses.

“I think anytime you have something of this magnitude that draws in people from outside the community, everyone wins,” Huffman said. “It benefits everyone from hospitality, to retail, down to gas stations and convenience stores.”

Huffman predicts the mall's proximity to festival registration will give his restaurant an extra 15 percent in revenue during the weekend compared to normal weeks.

“The past two years it's been very successful for us,” Huffman said. “Location certainly helped in our case with registration happening in the mall. But anytime there is an event with people coming in from outside the community they're going to be dining out and our atmosphere fits the Jeep festival very well.”

While the increase in profits certainly is a big factor for business owners, Atkinson said an event like the Jeep Festival is an important event for the Butler community as a whole.

“It's really important right now to put traffic downtown to see all the changes they've made,” he said. “The more people that can see the changes, the better.”

Dining establishments won't be the only benefactors. Guests will need places to sleep, and campgrounds are expecting full capacity this weekend.

While Cooper's Lake campground will obviously benefit from hosting the event, other campgrounds expect to see a big jump in occupancy, as well.

“We've been taking reservations since it was announced a year ago,” said Ed Tanski, owner of the Buttercup Campgrounds in Evans City. “We maxed out probably four months ago. I would certainly say the surrounding campgrounds benefit from such an affair.”

The festival attracts an audience from all over the country, and it shows in the campground's booking.

“We have people coming from Canada and the Midwest area, so it's definitely pulling geographically,” Tanski said.

Todd Wehr, owner and manager of the Bear Run Campgrounds, which is close to Cooper's Lake, also expects a share of out-of-state campers from places like Michigan and Tennessee, but he thinks the time of the year is the significant aspect of the weekend.

“We've had many early arrivals this week, many from out of state,” Wehr said. “It's nice to have the three-day stay, which typically wouldn't occur without an attraction such as this. Especially not this early into the summer.”

Wehr is expecting a big showing at his campground this weekend and will host special events, such as a bonfire and hay wagon rides.

“It certainly gives us an extra boost in revenue,” Wehr said. “It probably gives us a 30 percent boost in revenue for the week.”

Increases in business aren't just a side effect of the festival. It is one of the main goals of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau.

“We did a program this year called Journeys for Jeepers, partnering with members of the (tourism bureau) to attract guests into their businesses,” said Patti Jo Lambert, director of the festival and a spokesman for the bureau.

All people registered for the festival got a flyer in their registration packs with special offers for more than 25 county businesses.

“This is the first time we've had such a coordinated effort to do that,” Lambert said.

The specials being offered include discounted rounds of golf at Aubrey's Dubbs Dred Golf Course, free souvenirs at Playthings Etc., free ice cream or coffee at The Meridian Station Gift Shop and Confectionery, and discounted items at places like Plumberry Gifts and Darn Yarn Needles & Thread.

Here is the schedule for the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival this weekend.<B>Today</B>9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Festival events at Cooper’s Lake Campground in Worth Township. $7 for adults; $3 for children, 3 to 12 years old6 to 10 p.m.Jeep Invasion of hundreds of vehicles on Butler’s Main Street. Free<B>Saturday</B>9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Festival events at Cooper’s Lake Campground in Worth Township. $7 for adults; $3 for children, 3 to 12 years old<B>Sunday</B>9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Festival events at Cooper’s Lake Campground in Worth Township. $7 for adults; $3 for children, 3 to 12 years old