Economic Impact
The Winnipeg Folk Festival puts Winnipeg on the map and is the recipient of many awards including the 2011 Manitoba Tourism Award for Event of the Year, The Tourism Industry Association of Canada Event of the Year 2008, and Folk Alliance International’s Best Festival 2006.
Manitoba’s tourism industry benefits significantly from the Winnipeg Folk Festival. It is promoted throughout North America, attracting approximately 17,000 visitors from outside the Winnipeg area each year.
The Winnipeg Folk Festival generates $29.4 million in economic activity and creates 281 jobs for the province of Manitoba. The impact on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Manitoba is estimated at $14.7 million. The GDP represents the estimated net economic activity generated from this signature Manitoba event.*
The festival invests over $1.5 million into local businesses through the purchase of supplies and services, and it generates close to $1 million in direct sales through on-site festival vendors.
*2010 Economic Impact Assessment by Tourism Winnipeg
Far More than Five Days in July
The festival offers a year-long calendar of concerts, music training opportunities and workshops. This unique blend of special events and education and outreach activities offers something for everyone. Children, youth at risk, emerging artists and music aficionados of all ages enjoy our programming.
As part of the festival’s founding commitment to our community we have steadily grown our education and outreach programs, with particular focus on offering year-round free concerts and building partnerships with inner city residents, newcomers to Canada and the Aboriginal community. Each year, these initiatives impact the community by providing:
- Training for 200 young performers;
- 700 free festival tickets for community organizations;
- 20 free downtown concerts.
Benefits to the Community
Folk music is an evolving, people-centered art form that has served audiences for generations and will continue to do so in the future. Our organization is a leader in arts management and governance practices. We’ve brought in positive year-end results for eleven consecutive years.