WORCESTER, Mass. - Rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Worcester are full this weekend. 

What You Need To Know

  • Country star Billy Currington is playing outdoors at the Palladium on Friday
  • Holy Cross, Northeastern, Boston College, and Quinnipiac will be playing hockey at the DCU Center 
  • Downtown events are driving business at local hotels 
  • Some restaurants are also seeing a business boost

“It’s great to have this kind of happening activity downtown especially post COVID, to see some life be breathed back into Worcester," KC Jones, general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn, said. 

Jones says events in downtown Worcester are helping drive business. There are two concerts at the Palladium and both have thousands of people attending.

“I think it’s going to be great for the area businesses," Chris Besaw managing partner of Off the Rails, a downtown Worcester restaurant and live entertainment venue, said. "It’s going bring a lot of business to the area, its going to bring a lot of customers to the area that wouldn’t generally be here."

Besaw is helping put on the concert. He says reservations for Off the Rails are booked.

“This is our first big country show outside and we are excited for it we are happy to bring some good country to Worcester," Besaw said. 

There’s thousand of hockey fans coming to the city, too. Four teams including Holy Cross are playing a tournament this weekend.

“We are excited about hosting this tournament," Nick Smith, co-interim Director of Athletics at Holy Cross, said. It kicks off hockey season across the country and it’s our fist game of the season"

Some of those fans will be staying at the Hilton Garden Inn. Jones says during the shut down, a lot of guests at the hotel were working at hospitals. 

“To have regular businesses and not COVID-related business, it’s a great change," Jones said. 

And a sign things may be getting back to normal in the city.