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07/15/2007Big festivals: What's in it for the locals?It's a debate that's gone on since the National Cherry Festival was just a small-town celebration spread over a few days: Is the festival good for local business? Two schools of thought shape the argument. One says the festival helps the area by bringing thousands of visitors to town and creating wide acclaim through various media outlets like CNN, The Weather Channel and The Food Network. The event puts the community on a national stage. Others think the festival is an entity in and of itself, drawing most of the visitors and lots of locals to its events and concessions, while leaving little disposable cash for the rest of the community at a time when thousands of tourists would be here, anyway. There's anecdotal evidence on both sides. The Record-Eagle certainly sells more newspapers during festival week, for example. But who hasn't been in a largely empty shop or restaurant downtown while big-ticket festival events are going on? As the festival evolves and its leaders press the city to reduce public expenses associated with the event to make it more economically viable, it's time for the community to get a meaningful measure of the festival's economic impact. Not one of those cherry pie-in-the-sky estimates run through a computer model from an events association, but a comprehensive assessment of economic activity and what the festival means for the community. But another study? Skepticism over such a notion is fair, considering "economic impact” studies can be, and often are, massaged in any number of ways, usually based on who's paying the bill. But it's also true there are numerous examples of studies that are fair, accurate and widely beneficial in setting public policy. That's what's needed here. For sound results, the city should be part of the endeavor to ensure the data is considered from the public's point of view. Other potential partners could include the local chamber and Convention and Visitors Bureau so the area's business and tourism sectors have a stake. To make such an analysis even more beneficial, the fledgling but widely popular Traverse City Film Festival also should be included. It appears the Film Festival is no flash in the pan, and it's a good bet it will require more public services and support as it grows. It's critical to accurately gauge the economic force of both festivals if the city is to make sound decisions on how to regulate them in the future, and to determine how much public support each deserves. It's also important for the community to know what these festivals mean to the area from a dollar standpoint, even if many locals don't go to parades or movies. They'll still be stuck in traffic or face other inconveniences associated with big events and lots of people. At least they'll know what's in it for them.
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By Bill O'Brien
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