NVIDIA conference and St. Patrick's Day boost downtown San Jose foot traffic

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Top tech talent from around the world is in town in San Jose for the NVIDIA GTC conference 2025.

The start of the conference on St. Patrick's Day is just what downtown businesses say they needed.

Bustling activity and the color green could be seen throughout downtown San Jose Monday, not just because of St. Patrick's Day, but also thanks to the start of AI Chipmaker NVIDIA's GTC.

"It's St. Patrick's Day. Whether GTC is here or not, we'd still be very busy. But add that crowd to the St. Patrick's Day crowd. It's going to be rocking down here," David Mulvehill, Partner, O'Flaherty's Irish Pub.

The conference kicked off Monday and attendees from around the world say they've already spent time over the weekend in the downtown area.

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"I really, really like San Jose. Yesterday, we were in downtown where there was a St. Patrick's Day (celebration) and it was really awesome," said Hans Aaldering, a conference attendee.

Local business owners and vendors say global visitors like that along with locals coming downtown for St. Patrick's Day are expected to bring in a very welcome boost.

"More and more people, more and more bodies, more money!" said vendor Steve Hansen.

That momentum expected to carry on beyond Monday and through the rest of the week.

"Twenty-five-thousand people in our downtown for the next couple of days," said Alex Stettinski, executive director of San Jose Downtown Association.

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Stettinski says conventions and conferences like GTC, have been invaluable to the city's post-pandemic recovery.

"Last year was the first time Nvidia came to downtown. This is the second year, we're so glad that they're coming again," Stettinski said. "The impact is just absolutely, absolutely incredible, it makes a big difference, because they don't just stay in their convention area. They spread all over downtown."

The hope now from business owners is that the life and energy brought by this conference can continue throughout the year and years to come.

"Conventions and conferences, they have a major impact on our business. I mean, without them, we would struggle to survive," Mulvehill said. "It's really important that we keep conventions going downtown and conferences. It's a lifeline to the restaurants and bars down here."

NVIDIA GTC runs through Friday.