For one Langley business, the thought of Choochokam Festival moving out of the city center defies logic. To another, it’s a welcome change.

Several downtown businesses are split on the longtime festival potentially being held at Community Park this summer. Organizers of the event say the festival has outgrown the city and are hopeful the park will better serve an expanding vision, though the move still needs approval from South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District commissioners when they meet April 20.

Although differing in their opinions, shop owners agree the festival has seen a decline in popularity in recent years. Some also said food vendors have interfered with line of sight to their businesses.

Mike Johnson, owner of Frontrow Creative on Anthes Avenue, experienced this first hand. His water-based screen printing business scrambled to make its retail services ready in time for the three-day festival in 2015. Knowing food vendors would be positioned along the street, Johnson thought his shop would be a primetime locale for prospective customers. Instead, vendors serving potatoes and french fries kept his business hidden from view.

“The downside was the vendors were right up to the curb, so no one could really see us,” Johnson said. “They had kids in the back skinning the potatoes which pretty much took up the whole sidewalk. So no one really even knew our business was here.”

If it hadn’t been for rainfall on the second day of the event, which led attendees to notice his shop while seeking shelter, it would have been a slow weekend. It was that experience that left Johnson somewhere in the middle on his feelings about the festival moving. Born and raised on Whidbey, Johnson understands the festival’s cultural significance.

“It’s always seemed like Choochokam has been part of Langley,” Johnson said. “I totally get both sides of it. I don’t know how it affects other businesses and stuff. If anything, I thought it would bring more business to us, but because of how it was set up, it kind of blocked us out of the situation.”

“I personally think it being at the park makes more sense, kind of. Bigger venue, it has better restroom facilities, parking facilities, if they can make it bigger and better, then why not,” he added.

Conversely, Kalakala Co. co-owners Drew Christie and Amanda Moore felt the potential move could be a loss for local businesses. Moore said Choochokam was their best weekend of business last year.

“I think it’s a horrible idea,” Christie said. “Let’s think about it logically — is it going to be detrimental or good for your business if there’s hundreds of people walking around and past your business?”

“To me, it’s a shame because it definitely helps business having a bunch of people congregating and walking around in town,” he added.

Callahan McVay, owner of Callahan’s Firehouse Studio on Second Street, is in favor of it moving. He said he’s seen the event slowly decline in recent years, from the number of attendees to a lack of variety in art booths. He also felt the festival wasn’t as big a draw as it may be perceived.

“Business is good in the summer and Choochokam is definitely not part of it for me,” McVay said. “Langley’s great because people come here from all over. Look at the ferry lines on the weekends — it’s two to three hours. It had nothing to do with Choochokam, it’s two to three hours on any given weekend.”

McVay thought the festival was at its strongest in the 70s and 80s, when Langley and Whidbey Island weren’t as well known or the attraction it is today.

“Now, summertime on Whidbey Island is just one big event,” McVay said. “Quite frankly, (Choochokam) interferes with traffic and flow and business.”

Fred Lundahl, owner of Music for the Eyes on First Street, said he was neither for or against the potential move. He’s also learned not to rely on increased sales due to the festival after 15 years running his rugs, carpets and textiles business.

“We’ve been here long enough to not expect business to be really fantastically better during a weekend event,” Lundahl said.

If the festival indeed moves, Lundahl said the next challenge for local merchants will be enticing patrons to shop in town.

Shuttles commuting back and forth between the festival and city will address that concern, said Michaleen McGarry, executive director of the Langley Chamber of Commerce.

“Anytime someone wants to take a break they can come to Langley,” McGarry said. “I don’t see it as being a loss for community merchants.”