LEWISBURG, Pa. — The Lewisburg area's population will grow by several thousand people this week as the PIAA swimming and diving championships come to Bucknell University.
Swimmers and divers took their first dips of the week at Bucknell University's pool on Wednesday. The PIAA swimming and diving championships are underway in Lewisburg.
People travel to Lewisburg from all over the state. The Stricker family is from Reading.
"It's amazing. The pool is beautiful, and getting to stay for a couple of nights is relaxing," Charles Stricker said. "It's about an hour and a half away, depending on traffic. We came up this morning to watch him swim prelims, and we'll be here today and tomorrow."
The Susquehanna Valley Visitors Bureau estimates around 6,000 people come to the Lewisburg area for the four-day event and says the event generates more than $2 million in local spending.
Area businesses look forward to that, as Bucknell University students are on spring break this week.
"With Bucknell being gone, the swimmers and divers really bring in a lot of the customers that we do lose, the population. We're able to stay busy and everybody is able to keep working," said Izzy Devett at All Star Bagels.
Many downtown businesses hung welcome signs in their windows and PIAA-colored ribbons are tied to parking meters.
Marian Stoltzfus expects it to be busy at JR's Soft Pretzels.
"Normally, it will bring a lot of people into town. We love it when the groups come in. It gets a little overwhelming in the back for us sometimes, but we love it," Stoltzfus said. "It's usually a great week."
"It brings people in from out of town who definitely would maybe overlook Lewisburg," Devett added. "It really helps bring people into our town and get the word out about Lewisburg."
The PIAA swimming and diving championships run through Saturday at Bucknell University.