Festival Season Gives Big Boost To Local Communities

Memorial Day is usually the unofficial kick-off to summer, which means festival season is quickly approaching. Local economic officials say the menagerie of festivals highlight the culture and history of the area and brings an influx of cash.

With themes like woolly worms, music, wine, and barbecue, North Carolina has hundreds of festivals.

Stephanie Saintsing, executive director of North Carolina Association of Festivals and Events and the Barbecue Festival in Lexington, says the number of these events is growing in the state and that is helping the local tourism industry.

“It's just a very affordable way for families to go out and have a good time,” says Saintsing. “What these communities are finding is they're celebrating something special in their town, but it's also creating an opportunity to get people from out of town to their community and showcase their community, which creates a wonderful economic impact.”

Saintsing says a new report shows the Lexington Barbecue Festival alone has a $9-million impact and most of the spending was from non-residents in the county.

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