SALISBURY – A new study on this year’s National Folk Festival is expected to help city officials and event organizers better understand its economic impacts.
Last week, the Business, Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON) at Salisbury University’s Franklin P. Perdue School of Business released the first phase in an economic impact study of the National Folk Festival.
From Sept. 7-9, downtown Salisbury hosted its first National Folk Festival, a free, outdoor event produced by the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) that celebrates arts, culture and heritage through live performances, workshops, demonstrations, children’s activities and more.
And while the festival was accompanied by rain for most of the weekend, the study released last week estimates that more than 60,000 people attended the event, which generated $20 million in total economic impact.
More
Publishers Notes: While this is a great article, there is a LOT not mentioned. It's called investigative reporting.
I learned from a very reliable inside source that many staple restaurants throughout Downtown, (with exception of Roadie Joe's) lost between $20,000.00 to $25,000.00 by being told by Jake Day to make sure they stock heavily for a massive crowd, it did not happen.
While there are NUMEROUS aerial photos, none have been made available, which would clearly allow head counts proving the 63,000 Jake Day claims attended is a bold face lie.
Peter Franchot allowed, (some say illegally and I agree) a liquor license, (overriding the Wicomico Liquor Board) bars lost a small fortune as well. While these staple businesses have invested millions over the years and have struggled to survive, your local government brought in food and liquor and destroyed any hope for these businesses to profit.
The mere fact that they are now claiming this event created a $20,000,000.00 impact to Salisbury, you'd have to be mentally NUTS in the head to actually believe it. They LIED about the hotels being booked and when Jake Day was recently challenged on the hotel BS he back stepped and then claimed that everyone stayed in Ocean City Hotels instead, another bold face lie.
While the Dispatch article delivered only the facts they were TOLD, I have a serious problem with ANY one sided article and the failure to dig up the facts and truth. The media has become the mouth piece for leaders only, afraid to rock any boat in fear of retaliation.