Impact on the Midlands
Economic Impact
Since the
first Festival in 2000, its economic impact on the Midlands has
been approximately $5,000,000 each Festival year. The Festival
alone spends $600,000 annually with area businesses who provide
services and products to the event. Impact studies conducted for
the Festival did
not use multipliers as
this formula frequently results in inflated economic impact numbers.
2005 MarketSearch Survey Highlights Despite inclement weather, over 45,000 people attended the Festival
in 2005.
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58% of Festivalgoers indicated that they would
have a meal at a Columbia area restaurant at least once during
the event.
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14% indicated that they would stay at a local hotel or
motel?up 11% from the previous year.
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27% traveled more that 50 miles to attend the Festival.
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Festivalgoers from 26 states, as well as Canada and Guam,
attended the Festival.
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The audience was ethnically diverse: African Americans
and other minorities represented more than two out of five
(42%) attendees, up from 35% in 2004.
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Non-Profit|Community Group Impact
Each year, community organizations run the beverage
stations, gateways and Festival merchandise booths.
Over $100,000 has been
generated by civic groups to support their work since 2000.
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