French Quarter Festivals, Inc. - The Facts!

• In 2011 - French Quarter Festival celebrates its 28th Anniversary; Christmas New Orleans Style celebrates its 26nd anniversary; and Satchmo SummerFest celebrates its 11th 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 1,500 community volunteers help to make the festival a success
• French Quarter Festivals, Inc. is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
• French Quarter Festivals, Inc. receives no funding from the City of New Orleans.
• 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 TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Festival!) kickoff party in April.
• 18 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 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 Satchmoinspired dishes and great local cuisine. Only local restaurants are invited to participate in these festivals.
• French Quarter Festival has been consistently voted ‘favorite festival’ by locals.

Attendance Overview

• French Quarter Festival 2010 attendance – over 512,000 people
• Satchmo SummerFest 2010 attendance – over 26,000 people
• French Quarter Festival attendees are 50% residents and 50% visitors
• Satchmo SummerFest attendees are 42% residents and 68% visitors
• Visitors from as many as 37 states have attended FQF. Top 5 states – Louisiana, Mississippi, California, Florida, Texas
• Visitors from as many as 12 countries have attended FQF: top Countries – US, Canada, Japan, 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 2010 generated a total economic impact of more than $316 million, including $158.6 million in direct spending and $157.4 million in secondary spending. Additionally, the event generated over $25.3 million in state and local tax revenue.
• FQF employs more than 800 local musicians during Festival weekend
• FQF hosts over 70 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.

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