NORTH CONWAY, N.H. -- A post-weekend survey of Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce member businesses found that Labor Day weekend 2026 was a positive close to the summer season for most respondents. Eighty-one percent of respondents who reported on Labor Day said business was at or above expectations.  Eighteen percent said the weekend fell short of what they had hoped for.

Good weather over most of the weekend was the most consistently cited positive factor. Where results disappointed, Saturday rain, a late calendar positioning for Labor Day and staffing gaps were the most common explanations.

Summer 2026 as a whole told a similar story. Forty-four percent of respondents rated the full summer period above expectations, 39 percent said it came in at expectations, and 17 percent said summer fell short. Several businesses noted that summer started slowly but gained momentum through August, leaving businesses in good shape heading into the fall season.

"Labor Day is the exclamation point on a summer season, and this year it delivered," said Chris Proulx, Executive Director of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. "Eight in ten businesses met or beat their own expectations for the weekend, and nearly half rated the entire summer above expectations. We are heading into foliage season with real confidence. The Valley's natural appeal, its mix of activities, and the loyalty of our visitors continues to be our strongest asset, and the numbers this summer reflect that."

Dining: Strong Weekend, Strong Summer

Restaurants had the most uniformly positive Labor Day weekend in the survey, with every respondent rating the holiday at or above expectations. Half rated it above expectations and half said it came in where they expected.

J-Town Deli rated both the Labor Day weekend and the full summer above expectations. "More day trippers, weather was wonderful, more things to do -- many repeat visitors," said owner Genn Anzaldi, who also noted growing interest in outdoor activities as a consistent visitor trend. Anzaldi cited staff, food, and menu variety as what guests enjoy most, and highlighted hiking, golf, and weddings as key draws to the Valley. Her fall and winter outlooks were both among the most optimistic in the survey.

Saco River Brewing also rated Labor Day at expectations and summer above expectations. "Great weather, great outdoor seating, staff was awesome, lots of customers," said co-owner Mason Irish. He noted that large groups, including wedding parties, have become a more common customer type, and rated both his fall and winter business outlooks well above the midpoint of the scale.

Black Cap Grille reported a Labor Day weekend that ended essentially flat, noting Sunday as the busiest day of the three -- a shift from 2025 when Saturday held that distinction. General Manager Bill Frittenburg described summer as fairly flat overall, with July softer but a very strong August. He noted that per-visitor spending at his business was above last year, one of the stronger spending metrics in the survey.

Lodging: Well Above Expectations for Most; Advance Bookings a Standout Trend

Lodging was one of the stronger-performing sectors for Labor Day, with most respondents rating the weekend at or above expectations.

Berry Companies rated Labor Day above expectations despite what its principal described as a head-scratcher. Marketing Director Paul Durfee noted that a late-calendar Labor Day typically underperforms. Summer overall came in good but not great, described as a huge improvement over 2025. Durfee flagged advance sales as the standout trend of his season. "Our advanced sales are off the charts. We've regularly been pacing 20 percent ahead two to three months in advance." He rated his fall outlook among the highest in the survey.

Comfort Inn rated Labor Day above expectations and summer above expectations as well. Beach Camping Area rated Labor Day fair, held back by weather and a staffing shortage, but reported that summer as a whole far exceeded expectations. "Beach Campground set all-time records for site nights and revenue" in multiple months, said Peter Gagne, adding that Saco River Tubing Center finished even with last year despite low water levels and significant staffing challenges, particularly in August.

Attractions and Recreation: A Mixed Weekend, an Exceptional Summer

Attraction and recreation operators reported the most varied Labor Day results of any sector, with outcomes split across all categories. One respondent rated the weekend above expectations, three rated it at expectations, and one rated it below.

Cranmore Mountain Resort rated Labor Day at expectations, noting that Sunday was its second-busiest day of the entire season. Cranmore's summer narrative was one of the most compelling in the survey. "As fall approaches, we're wrapping up one of our best summer seasons since Cranmore reopened for summer operations in 2010," said Becca Deschenes. "June and the first part of July started a little slower, but business picked up in late July and remained strong throughout August. We also had two record revenue days this season."

Rob Arey, Marketing Director at the Mount Washington Cog Railway, rated both the Labor Day weekend and summer overall at expectations, noting that rain on Saturday was the primary reason the weekend fell short of above expectations. The Cog flagged an encouraging data point for the coming season: advance fall reservations are running approximately ten percent ahead of last year. Staff also observed that Canadian visitors this summer skewed younger than in prior years.

Joyce's Craft Shows, LLC, which organizes and promotes the arts and crafts events at Schouler Park described summer as above expectations overall. "It was awesome attendance at both the July and August Craft Show events at Schouler Park," said Joyce Endee, who draws exhibitors and visitors from across New Hampshire and beyond.

Retail: Weather and Craft Fair Competition Shape the Weekend

Retail results for Labor Day were mixed, with outcomes depending heavily on location.

Beggars Pouch Leather had one of the best Labor Day weekends in the entire survey, rating it above expectations and summer above expectations as well. "Weather was great and the Valley is such a welcoming place to visit," said owner Rene Bajger. "There has been a delightful influx of first-time visitors and next-generation family members starting their own traditions." Bajger described what draws visitors to the Valley with characteristic directness. "The beauty of our Valley is not to be underestimated. Recreation choices are so diverse. Mt. Washington, the Train, the shopping, the food -- you can have a romantic weekend or bring grandma and the kids."  

Gas Prices: A Factor for the Majority

Sixty-seven percent of respondents said gas prices had or possibly had an impact on Labor Day weekend business. Thirty-three percent reported no gas price effect. The pattern is consistent with results from the Chamber's Memorial Day and Fourth of July surveys, in which similar majorities cited gas as a real or possible factor.

Several respondents noted that high travel costs appear to be reshaping visitor behavior rather than stopping travel outright, with visitors spending more cautiously on discretionary items while still committing to the trip itself.

One respondent noted that high gas prices may actually work in the Valley's favor by keeping regional visitors closer to home rather than driving longer distances.

Inflation: The Most Widely Felt Economic Pressure

Inflation emerged as the most broadly felt economic concern in the survey. Eighty-nine percent of respondents said inflation had or possibly had an impact on business, with 61 percent saying yes and 28 percent saying possibly. Only 11 percent reported no inflation impact.

The effects described ranged from cautious visitor spending on non-essential purchases to outright price sensitivity around lodging costs. One respondent noted that visitors specifically complained about excessively high costs as a serious problem. Spending per visitor, on the other hand, was above last year for 56 percent of respondents, suggesting that while some price sensitivity exists, many visitors are still spending more per trip than they did in 2025.

Labor Shortage: Affecting More Than Half of Businesses

Fifty-six percent of respondents said a worker shortage had or possibly had an impact on their business, with 28 percent saying yes and 28 percent saying possibly. Forty-four percent said staffing was not an issue.

The impacts described were most acute in outdoor recreation and hospitality. Peter Gagne of Beach Camping Area and Saco River Tubing Center said staffing was a big hurdle, especially in August. J-Town Deli also flagged a labor shortage as a factor in its Labor Day weekend results. Several other businesses noted it as a concern that shaped scheduling and service capacity throughout the summer.

Canadian Visitation: Below Last Year for Half of Respondents

Canadian visitor levels continued their soft trend through the summer and Labor Day weekend. Among the 14 respondents who reported on Canadian traffic, 50 percent said Canadian visitation was below last year, 43 percent said it was on par, and 7 percent said it was above. The average Canadian visitation score was 3.2 on a scale where 4 equals the same as last year, placing the trend meaningfully below parity.

Rob Arey at the Mount Washington Cog Railway offered one positive observation within the broader softness: Canadian visitors who did come this summer skewed younger than in prior years, which may signal a generational shift in cross-border travel to the Valley.

Beggars Pouch Leather rated Canadian visitation well below last year, while Settlers Green and several lodging properties reported levels in the below-average to average range. The data suggest that whatever partial recovery in Canadian visitation was anticipated after prior-year declines has not materialized consistently across the Valley.

International Visitation: Roughly Flat, with Pockets of Strength

International visitation other than Canadian traffic was somewhat softer than last year across the survey as a whole. Among the respondents who reported on international visitors, 43 percent said international traffic was below last year, 50 percent said it was on par, and 7 percent reported it above last year. The average score was 3.5 on a scale where 4 equals the same as last year.

Comfort Inn was the only respondent to report international visitation notably above last year, with a score well above the survey average. Beggars Pouch Leather noted a meaningful presence of international visitors during the summer, describing a diverse mix that included first-time visitors to the Valley.

Fall Foliage Outlook: The Most Optimistic Reading of the Year

The fall foliage outlook was the strongest forward-looking result in any Chamber survey conducted this year. Seventy-eight percent of respondents rated their fall outlook at the optimistic end of the scale, 17 percent expressed moderate expectations, and just six percent rated it cautiously. The average fall outlook score was 5.1 on a six-point scale.

J-Town Deli, Beggars Pouch Leather, Berry Companies, Cranmore Mountain Resort, and Saco River Brewing all expressed strong fall confidence. Mount Washington Cog Railway added a concrete data point to the optimism: advance fall reservations are running approximately ten percent ahead of the same point last year.

Peter Gagne of Beach Camping Area and Saco River Tubing Center described fall as looking very strong but flagged one potential complication. "I think a Super El Nino is going to scare a lot of people about booking early," Gagne said, suggesting that weather forecast uncertainty could compress the booking window even if actual fall conditions are favorable.

Winter Outlook: Cautiously Positive

The winter outlook was more tempered than the fall reading but still leaned positive. Thirty-one percent of respondents rated winter prospects at the optimistic end of the scale, 50 percent expressed moderate expectations, and 19 percent rated the outlook cautiously. The average winter outlook score was 4.1 on a six-point scale.

Lodging and attraction operators expressed more measured winter expectations, with several noting that conditions and snowfall will play the decisive role.