French Quarter Festival 2013

 

And it’s that time of year again! It’s time for my favorite festival, French Quarter Fest.

French Quarter Fest - The Facts!

• In 2013 - French Quarter Festival celebrates its 30th Anniversary
• French Quarter Festival was first produced in 1984 as a way to bring residents back to the Quarter; following the World’s Fair and extensive sidewalk repairs in the French Quarter.
• More than 2,000 community volunteers help to make the festival a success.
• French Quarter Festivals, Inc. is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
• French Quarter Festival is the largest, free music festival in the South.
• Chief sources of funding are: sponsorships, beverage and merchandise sales, vendor fees, and the Gala in April.
• 21 stages throughout the French Quarter celebrate local music and represent every genre from traditional and contemporary jazz to R&B, New Orleans funk, brass bands, folk, gospel, latin, zydeco, classical, cabaret, and international.
• New Orleans great restaurants, create the “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch” in Jackson Square, the Old U.S. Mint and Woldenberg Riverfront Park during festival weekend; Satchmo SummerFest hosts “Red Bean Alley” with Satchmo-inspired dishes and great local cuisine. Only local restaurants are invited to participate in these festivals.
• French Quarter Festival has been consistently voted “favorite festival”, “favorite food festival”, and “favorite event open to the public” by locals.

Attendance Overview

• French Quarter Festival 2012 attendance - over 574,000 people
• French Quarter Festival attendees are 49% locals and 51% visitors
• Visitors from as many as 37 states have attended FQF. Top 5 states - Louisiana, California, New York, Texas, Florida
• Visitors from as many as 12 countries have attended FQF: top Countries - Canada, United Kingdom, Norway, France, Germany

Economic Impact

• According to an analysis of the French Quarter Festival Visitors Survey conducted by The University of New Orleans (UNO) Hospitality Research Center, French Quarter Festival 2012 generated a total economic impact of more than $259.5 million, including $126.6 million in direct spending and $132.9 million in secondary spending. Additionally, the event generated over $18.3 million in state and local tax revenue.
• FQF employs more than 1,400 local musicians during Festival weekend
• FQF hosts over 60 local restaurants which make up the “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch” at the Festival.
• FQF employs only local companies during the Festival (sanitation, stages, sound, security, etc.). All money spent to produce the festival stays within the local economy.

See y’all at the Fest!