Downtown Raleigh sees boom in events

The City Plaza opened with the new festival Winterfest earlier this year.

New restaurants, and the summer festival, Raleigh Wide Open, have also started in the last few years.

For rickshaw drivers, who started patrolling the streets more than two years ago, it's full speed ahead.

“There’s people downtown having fun, moving downtown. They want to be downtown,” said rickshaw driver Sean O’Neal.

David Diaz, president of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, said there are more than 100 outdoor festivals a year held there.

“Five years ago we didn’t even have half that number, so it’s significantly increased,” Diaz said.

Stanley Davis moved back to downtown Raleigh in 1991 and is still amazed by the changes.

“Between now and then it’s changed a lot. I’m really glad to see it,” Davis said.