ITHACA, N.Y. -- Ithaca's Teacher Winter Recess is drawing more educators to the area this year than it did last year.

By showing their Very Important Teacher passes, teachers, friends and family can get discounts at area businesses and enjoy events put on with them in mind.

"We thought it would be a great idea to host a festival to celebrate the educators in our area as well as the rest of the country," said Fred Bonn, the Ithaca Convention and Visitors Bureau director.

And area teachers are glad to have something to do when it's cold out.

"It's wonderful to do something special for teachers and it's wonderful to do something in the winter when things are really bleak," said retired teacher Gil Sweet.

Sweet and his wife joined other teachers and community members at one of Sunday's events -- a book signing and talk by Gaia Girls author Lee Welles.

Some teachers are even putting off their regular February break plans to stay here in Ithaca for the Teacher Winter Recess.

"There's so many good things to do. We purposely stayed here this week for the teacher's festival. We usually go to Florida so we're putting that off until April," said Teri Stoff, a teacher at Northeast Elementary School.

While teachers benefit from the events, so does the local economy.

"People are out there actively shopping and dining. When we can inject this sort of spending in our local economy it has a huge, huge impact," said Bonn.

Organizers expect between two and three thousand teachers, friends and family members to attend some of the Winter Recess events.

To learn more about the Teacher Winter Recess and the events going on this week, visit ithacalovesteachers.com.