Bravo! According to the report, the Vail Music Festival will increase Colorado’s local economy by $34 million in 2023

Bravo! Vail concluded its 36th music festival season on August 3rd.
Bravo! Vail Music Festival/Photo courtesy

Bravo! The Vail Music Festival announced in October that its 36th annual summer festival from June 22 to August 3 generated $34 million in direct economic impact for Eagle County and the state of Colorado.

According to a new report from Intercept Insights, an Avon market research firm, the $34 million figure reflects $1.5 million in sales tax revenue for all cities in Eagle County, with the remaining $32.5 million Dollars go directly to local businesses. The research is based on the spending of 49,229 concertgoers and 527 musicians during the festival.

Conductor Jaap van Zweden and the New York Philharmonic face the audience at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail after a performance of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 in E major at the Bravo! Vail Music Festival.Madison Rahhal/For the Vail Daily

In the City of Vail alone, the festival generated more than $19.9 million in direct economic impact. This included $634,373 in sales tax; $5.8 million spent on food and beverages; and $8.9 million for lodging – about 21,123 rooms. 89 percent of attendees who live outside of Vail said they came specifically for the festival.

“The latest data confirms Bravo! Vail’s continued presence as an essential economic driver in Eagle County,” said Caitlin Murray, executive director of Bravo! Vail. “Not only are we known as one of the world’s premier classical music festivals, but we continue to highlight Vail as a premier tourist destination for arts and culture while stimulating the region’s economy.”

Bravo! Vail Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott performs “Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2” with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields on opening night of Bravo! Vail Festival. Tom Cohen/Photo courtesy

In addition to Bravo! Because of Vail’s direct economic impact on Eagle County, the festival provided more than 35 free educational and engagement events throughout the valley, giving everyone in the community the opportunity to attend quality classical music concerts, regardless of socioeconomic circumstances.

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Bravo! Vail’s economic impact of $34 million represents a significant increase from last year’s $26.2 million, demonstrating the strong economic growth that continues in both the organization and the county.