San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade helps bring visitors to North Beach after slow Fleet Week

San Francisco’s Italian Heritage Parade helped bring North Beach to life on Sunday amid an unusually slow Fleet Week due to the government shutdown.

“It’s October in San Francisco. It’s our summer time. North Beach is lively, electric, just like San Francisco. We’re a city on the rise,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said as he walked down Columbus Boulevard.

North Beach businesses were also hoping for a boost during a tough week.

“There was definitely a lack of foot traffic,” said Kim McKeown, a bartender at The Savoy Tavoli. “We usually notice an increase in foot traffic and people in the bar, and we’re not seeing that this year.”

MORE: Canadian Snowbirds air show thrills SF Fleet Week spectators despite no Blue Angels: ‘Awesome!’

And the regulars were feeling the void on Sunday, too.

“Usually when soldiers come to town, they don’t pay for drinks,” said Mark Deadder, who has lived in the neighborhood for 34 years. “Local people are lining their pockets with cash and buying drinks for the soldiers. I haven’t seen that happen in the last few days and it probably won’t happen today because they aren’t marching in the parade.”

“Fleet week is generally the busiest week of the year, and we don’t see that tourism,” said Teague Kernan, owner of Tupelo on Grant Boulevard. He also served on the North Beach Business Association Board of Directors.

“It’s pretty devastating. Small businesses like ours, bars, restaurants, etc., depend on the flow of tourism during certain weeks and days of the year. If we lose a day, or even two, that could be really devastating for our overall picture,” he said.

If you use the ABC7 News app, Click here to watch live