The Roots & Blues festival turned a sizeable profit following high ticket sales for the 2016 festival. Despite this year’s success its organizers told Salmon Arm city council they are planning cautiously for next year’s festival, at council’s Oct. 24 meeting.
The pre-audit financial figures show the festival made a $152,000 profit compared to a $30,000 loss last year.
Festival director David Gonella and his fellow organizers requested $55,000 from the city from their 2017 budget to help the festival succeed next year, which will be the 25th anniversary event.
Council did not make a decision at this time, but the request will be part of the city’s budget deliberations.
Festival attendance was approximately 26,500 which drove ticket revenue as well as beer garden and merchandise sales up compared to last year.
“This year we can be very positive about coming together and putting on a good show that’s also been financially successful,” Gonella said marketing partnerships with Pattison Billboards, Tourism Shuswap and Destination B.C. helped raise attendance.
A billboard near the Tsawwassen ferry terminal resulted in an immediate 25 per cent bump in traffic to Roots & Blues’ website which continued up until the festival.
Gonella mentioned updates to the website and different ticket pre-sale options as other factors which drove attendance.
Ticket sales to Salmon Arm residents have declined over the past four years but have increased in the greater Vancouver area and in other communities including Kamloops and Kelowna. Sales to out-of-province attendees have also increased.
Despite the successes of this year’s festival, the organizers say they are moving forward into 2017 with an austere budget based on approximately $500,000 of ticket sales.
“We can’t really start following that higher water mark when we have great years. If sales drop off based on weather or not being able to get a good lineup, it can really kick us where it hurts,” Gonella said.
Coun. Kevin Flynn asked whether a strong lineup of performers at this year’s festival was the main driver of high ticket sales.
“We’ve been successful, even the years we’ve had lower attendance, with having very good lineups…we really focused on the marketing and communication plan this year, in the past it’s been pretty haphazard,” Gonella replied.
Coun. Alan Harrison noted a complete lack of vacancies at both the Roots & Blues campgrounds and at many hotels in Salmon Arm on the day of the festival.
The festival organizers plan to target day-trippers from nearby communities to sustain attendance, Gonella said