City Has Twins Days' Crowd Management 'Down To a Science'

Starting Friday thousands of twins and their families will flock to Twinsburg as the 37th annual begins.

While such an influx of people could create a lot of problems for the festival and the city, Sandy Miller, the festival's office manager said they have things "down pat."

"If we don't know what we're doing now, we never will," Miller said jokingly.

She said that after 37 years, the festival doesn't seem to hit any snags, even saying that the weekend runs "perfectly."

One of the major aspects of keeping things running well is help from the .

However, according to Chief Chris Noga, this family-friendly event doesn't bring much crime to the city.

"I can't remember the last time we arrested somebody," Noga said, adding they mostly connect lost children to their parents and control traffic for the parade.

"The challenges are minimal anymore," he said. "We have it down to a science."

While the problems may be few and far between, police forces are increased for the weekend, just in case.

"We're in the park and vigilant for any issues that may arise," Noga said. "We step up our patrols in hotels and plazas because we have a lot of visitors."

"It's a great event," he said. "It's well organized and well run."

Mayor Katherine Procop believes anyone attending the festival can rest assured there will be enough safety forces available for a fun weekend.

"We have many years of experience in crowd management during the festival weekend," Procop said.

It would make sense that large crowds would mean more business for area restaurants, but some don't see the boost.

owner Scott Rafuse said he loves Twins Days but doesn't see much of the crowd dining at his restaurant.

"Business actually slows down during the festival," Rafuse said. "Our night business may pick up but it's hit or miss, depending on the weather."

In his 15 years in Twinsburg, he hasn't seen much of a boost from the festival to his business.

"They're buying carnival food," Rafuse said. "They're there for the day."

While the results for businesses may be mixed, Miller believes the cooperation between the festival and the city really makes a terrific event.

"The cooperation is awesome. It's a great thing for the city," Miller said.

That is a sentiment that Procop shares about the event that "brings international recognition to the city."

"It's an honor to have the twins here in Twinsburg," Procop said. "It's what our namesake is all about. This festival has brought joy to many families of twins."