March 13, 2015
1596
As organizers gear up for the sixth annual Lighthouse Blues Festival in Kincardine this summer, the event has received a distinctive boost from Festival and Events Ontario (FEO), recognizing it as one of the Top 100 festivals or events in Ontario for 2015.
The Top 100 awards were given out Friday, March 6, during FEO’s annual conference in Niagara Falls. The recipients represent festivals and events that excel within the industry.
“This recognition by FEO is very important to our volunteers and organizing team,” says Rick Clarke, festival president. “It’s quite an achievement for a festival that's only five years old, and says a lot about the hard work to build this great community event.”
He says that that while organizers have collected considerable data over the last few years indicating the significant economic impact and audience satisfaction with the festival, to be recognized by industry peers is rewarding.
“Only three other blues festivals made the Top 100, Ottawa and Kitchener being two of them, so we’re in a select group.”
Clarke attributes the success of the Lighthouse Blues Festival to a number of contributing factors.
The support of community businesses and organizations as sponsors, and the number of volunteers who donate many hours of labour over the three days, are critical to its sustainability.
Programming for the festival, which includes four performance stages, a music workshop tent, a Sunday morning gospel revival, street market, British vintage sports cars, motorcycles, artists exhibits, a children’s zone and authentic southern cuisine, has attracted a growing number of fans and families every year.
“The talent on the ticketed main stage Friday and Saturday nights, as well as those artists performing on stages at the free Saturday afternoon BIA (Business Improvement Area) Street Festival and the Sunday morning gospel revival, are exceptional," says Clarke. "The festival has a growing reputation in the blues community, booking international and national touring artists who wouldn’t normally be seen in this area. To compete with the larger festivals in Ontario, we have deliberating sought out talented artists from other regions and introduced them to this market."
This year will not be an exception as one of the acts, Grainne Duffy, is travelling from Ireland to appear at the festival. Other bands hail from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Quebec. The final line-up is expected to be announced in early April with tickets going on sale in May.
The 2015 Lighthouse Blues Festival is set for July 10-12 in downtown Kincardine. A YouTube promotional video is available at http://youtu.be/Yk-3AXg4s1c , capturing the excitement of the event.
Lighthouse Blues Festival Quick Facts*
2014 attendance 4,000-plus
53 per cent were tourists (greater than 40 kilometres away)
74 per cent of all tourists stayed overnight; of these 44 per cent stayed two or more nights and 69 per cent stayed in some form of paid accommodation
over 50 per cent dined and 44 per cent shopped in local stores
average spent per tourist party was $549
average spent per local resident party was $247
80 per cent of attendees indicate they were “very likely” to return
85 per cent of attendees would “very likely” recommend the festival to family and friends
overall fan satisfaction scored the festival an 8.9 out of 10
* County of Bruce Tourism and The Resource Management Consulting Group
Written ByLiz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.
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