THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON DOLORES COLORADO DOLORES RIVER FESTIVAL

Transcription

1 THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON DOLORES COLORADO DOLORES RIVER FESTIVAL June 2011 By: Nathaniel Bauer, Brad Caldwell, and Stephanie Waechter Prepared Under the Direction of Dr. Deborah Walker Fort Lewis College School of Business Administration 1

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 4 INTRODUCTION... 5 Purpose of the Study... 5 History of the Dolores River Festival... 5 Sponsors of the Dolores River Festival... 7 ORGANIZER DATA... 8 Volunteer Hours... 9 In-Kind & Cash Contributions Organizer Spending ATTENDEE DATA Group Demographics Contact and Advertising Exposure Repeat Attendance Trip and Accommodation Information Activities Spending VENDOR DATA Demographics Types Trip & Accommodation Information Repeat Attendance Spending THE ECONOMIC IMPACT Table Three Results of Economic Impact Study, Dolores River Festival Table Four Results of Economic Impact Study, Dolores River Festival COMMENTS FROM SURVEYS Attendee Comments Vendor Comments

3 APPENDICES Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D

4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In order to better understand the economic impact generated by the annual Dolores River Festival on the town of Dolores, the Greater Dolores Action group requested an economic impact study during the 4th of June, 2011 Festival. The study surveyed 91 attendees and 14 vendors directly. This data was used to estimate where the approximately 2,225 attendees and 60 vendors came from, stayed, and spent their money during the 2011 Festival. Finally, the economic impact was discovered by multiplying what money stayed in the Town of Dolores by a regional multiplier in order to estimate exactly how much economic activity was brought about by the Dolores River Festival. Two different assumptions were made in describing the total economic impact of the Festival. Assumption One: It was assumed that all of the money spent at the Festival by local organizers, vendors and attendees in the town of Dolores would not have been spent in Dolores if the Festival had not taken place. Therefore, that spending is included in the economic impact. The Festival generated an additional $60, in income for the town of Dolores. The Festival generated an additional $2, in sales tax revenue for the town of Dolores. Assumption Two: It was assumed that all of the money spent at the Festival by local organizers, vendors and attendees in Dolores would have been spent in Dolores with or without the Festival. Therefore, that spending is not included in the economic impact. The Festival generated an additional $36, in income for the town of Dolores. The Festival generated an additional $1, in sales tax revenue for the town of Dolores. In comparing the two economic impacts, most likely the true impact lies somewhere in between these two numbers. 4

5 INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF THE STUDY This study is an attempt to determine the economic impact of the Dolores River Festival on the economy of the town of Dolores. Therefore, any reference to local in this study refers to the town of Dolores, while references to the Southwest Colorado Region can encompass individuals or parties from the towns of Dolores, Mancos, Cortez, Durango, Dove Creek, or Rico. An economic impact study estimates the value added to the local economy when a special event occurs in the community. In order to gather data for this study, surveys were conducted by three Fort Lewis College students, past and present, under the direction of Dr. Deborah Walker, Associate Professor of Economics at Fort Lewis College. HISTORY OF THE DOLORES RIVER FESTIVAL River festivals in America are used to draw attention to both the local rivers and the surrounding communities. Colorado has a multitude of river festivals, such as Durango s Animas River Days 1 and Gunnison s River Festival. 2 River festivals draw the community together, utilizing the recreational value of the river as a primary source of entertainment. Locally, the Dolores River Festival has maintained the same approach for the past 8 years, while continuing to develop new activities and events. The Festival also has provided increased opportunities for vendors and non-profits. This is the lower section of the Dolores River. Photograph by Nathaniel Bauer. The Dolores River is a recreational and public use river which flows through southwest Colorado, passing through the town of Dolores. The Dolores River begins in the upper San Juan Mountains, and its flow is restricted by a man made reservoir, McPhee Dam, located downriver from the town of Dolores. The river is commonly utilized by boating enthusiasts, who float both the lower and upper sections of the river. The Dolores River Festival focuses on the Dolores River, and is put on by the Greater Dolores Action group (GDA). This group of local

6 volunteers works to support and maintain the area. According to the GDA, all sponsorship donations are earmarked for Festival funding and for river-enhancing activities such as garbage and debris removal, habitat creation and education. This keeps donations within the community. Support of the Dolores River Festival shows the commitment to the preservation of one of the West s great and scenic rivers. 3 This is the upper section of the Dolores River. Photograph by Nathaniel Bauer

7 SPONSORS OF THE DOLORES RIVER FESTIVAL Many organizations in the area helped sponsor the Festival through monetary and in-kind contributions. Sponsors are grouped by the amount which they contributed to the Festival: Donation of $1,000 or more: City of Cortez Dolores Water Conservancy District KSJD Community Radio Osprey Packs American Whitewater Southwest Printing Company Donation of $500-$999: The Dolores State Bank Dolores Food Market Tuffy Security Products Mesa Verde Country Outdoor Research Klean Kanteen San Juan Citizens Alliance Absolute Bakery and Cafe Camelbak Hydration Systems Zuke's Pet Products Jack's Plastic Welding, Inc Donation of $250-$499: Big Agnes Equipment Town of Rico Cortez Adobe Animal Hospital Wild Rivers Expeditions Trout Unlimited Patagonia Heart Path House Four Corners Free Press Mac Wyman, M.D. Empire Electric NEMO Equipment Blue Door Traders Johnson Physical Therapy and Rehab Ska Brewing Company Donation of $100-$249: Dolores River Brewery Cortez Family Acupuncture Custom Calligraphy and Frame Dayzign Graphics Durango Rivertrippers Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Song Haven Farm Stonefish Sushi and More Ibex Outdoor Clothing Icebreaker Clothing La Sportiva Kokotat Watersport Products Jeff and Heather Mobley Sealine Water Bags Jill Lawson Yoga Telluride Ski Resort 7

8 ORGANIZER DATA A survey was given to the Greater Dolores Action Group regarding the Dolores River Festival in order to obtain the expenditures the organization undertook to organize, advertise and stage the Festival. 4 The survey also asked for a list of in-kind contributions and the number of volunteer hours it took to organize the Festival. 4 See Appendix C for a copy of the organizer survey. 8

9 VOLUNTEER HOURS As Chart One shows, it is estimated that total volunteer time devoted to organizing and staging the Festival was over 1000 hours. It is important to note that while volunteer work undoubtedly saved the Festival organizers money, this non-monetary statistic does not add to the economic impact of the Festival. Therefore, the productivity of the volunteers did take place, but is not included in this study, underestimating the total impact. Chart One Estimated Volunteer Hours 1,200 1,000 Hours

10 IN-KIND & CASH CONTRIBUTIONS There was a total of $12,916 worth of in-kind and cash contributions made to the Festival. Inkind contributions are non-monetary donations such as materials, facilities and services. Chart Two shows the different groups in the community that made contributions to the Festival. As Chart Two shows, $10,736 (83.1%) of contributions were made by non-local businesses, $1,000 (7.7%) by non-local government, $635 (5%) by local individuals, and $545 (4.2%) by individuals. Chart Two In-Kind & Cash Donations Local Individuals, $ Local Businesses, $ Non Local (City/County) Government, $1, Non Local Businesses, $10, Recommendation: Because the majority of vendors at the Festival were local, they may be interested in donating money to the Festival because they benefit from its existence. Seeking out donations from non-local vendors may also be a good way to gain additional funding to help the Festival grow. 10

11 ORGANIZER SPENDING The organizers of the Festival reported spending a total of $34,585 to stage the event. This total is divided into two amounts for the purpose of this study. The first amount is the money spent outside the town of Dolores, totaling $23,164 (67%). The second amount is the money spent within the town of Dolores, totaling $11,421 (33%). Chart Three illustrates the total spending by Festival organizers inside and outside of La Plata County. Chart Three Organizer Spending Town of Dolores 33% Outside the Town of Dolores 67% Recommendation: Due to the small size of the town of Dolores, some goods and services may only be available outside the town. Whenever possible, Festival expense spending should be kept within the town to have the greatest economic impact on the town of Dolores. 11

12 ATTENDEE DATA A large portion of the economic impact of the Festival came from money spent by Festival attendees. To gauge how much money Festival attendees were spending, Festival attendees were randomly surveyed throughout all hours of June 4 th. Surveyors gathered data from a wide range of demographics by speaking with attendees at various events at the Festival. The surveyors asked a series of in-depth questions about where the attendees were from, their planned activities, and what they planned to spend in the area as a result of attending the Festival. Based on previous attendance, the study used a population of 2000 in order to determine the number of surveys needed for the results to be statistically significant. 5 5 In order to determine the number of surveys needed the key for any survey to be significant is for it to be unbiased which meant that each individual out of the 2,000 should have an equal chance of participating in the survey. This is called a Simple Random Sample. Essentially, we wanted to make sure that we surveyed a wide selection of the population young and old river enthusiasts, families, dog lovers, and other Festival attendees. If this is done, then a sample size of data representing more than 92 people will be statistically significant. This can be seen in an equation that can be simplified to: The survey size = n = 1/E^2, where E = the margin of error. If you ask (in an unbiased fashion) a Yes or No question, then the sample proportion that says Yes or No will be within plus or minus E of the real underlying population proportion. For E = 5%, n = 92. For E = 1%, n = 154. So, let's say you survey 100 people and find that 65% of them answer Yes to a question. Then you 12

13 Survey data representing 223 people was gathered from directly surveying 91 individuals, each of whom estimated the spending for their group. It is estimated that 2,225 people attended the 2011 Festival 6 ; this number includes volunteers, which were part of the population that was surveyed. GROUP DEMOGRAPHICS WHERE DID THE FESTIVAL ATTENDEES COME FROM? Chart Four shows the locations of the surveyed attendees. On the following two pages, Map 1 indicates the distances traveled by festival attendees. Each blue marker is representative of an attendees home city. The zip code data was acquired during the survey and indicates that Festival attendees were primarily from the Four Corners Area, with a majority of attendees traveling from Southwest Colorado. Map 2 shows a closer view of the attendee locations in Southwest Colorado. Chart Four Attendee Location Pritchett 2% Egnar 3% Hesperus 4% Other 19% Dolores 30% Mancos 7% Durango 13% Cortez 22% can say that it is very likely that if you surveyed all 2,000, the proportion that you would find who would say Yes would be between (60% and 70%). 6 This was estimated by the Festival coordinators: 1,550 general admission, over 15 years old (based on revenue of $10/person and wristband count); 550 youth, aged 15 and under (based on wristband count); 125 volunteers (based on sign-ups and beverage ticket redemption). 13

14 Map 1. All Surveyed Attendee Locations This map shows the location of all surveyed attendees, encompassing a larger view of the Four Corners area. Map 2. Detailed View of All Surveyed Attendee Locations This map is a detailed view of Southwest Colorado, to provide better clarity. 14

15 Recommendation: A large portion of attendees were from Montezuma County. Consider increasing advertising efforts in nearby counties. For example, La Plata County has a large resident and tourist population who could be enticed to attend the Festival. This is especially true for recreational users of the Animas River. Consider advertising with La Plata River Companies. In order to reach potential attendees which cannot be reached by local advertising, consider expanding the use of social media. The Festival organizers should also consider partnering with the Durango River Festival on a cooperative advertising initiative. 15

16 GROUP SIZE The following series of questions were used to determine additional attendee demographics. Each individual surveyed was asked to answer the questions based on the number of people he/she was with group. 7 Single individuals represented the largest section, accounting for 37% of the sample. Two people were the second largest group size, at 23%. Together individual attendees and couples accounted for 60% of the attendees. See Chart Five. Chart Five 5 People 6% Group Size 6 People 5% 7 People 1% 4 People 14% 1 Person 37% 3 People 14% 2 People 23% Recommendation: Larger group sizes were less common. The majority of the larger groups were families with children. The relatively small number of groups with several adults in the same party means there might be a large potential for growth by attracting this demographic. A well advertised adult group discount on the admission fee may be a good way to draw larger groups in order to increase attendance and overall economic impact of the Festival. 7 Note that group numbers include children. 16

17 ADULTS / CHILDREN The follow up question to those attending with others asked the number of children in their party. Eighty percent of the attendees were adults, with the remaining 20% being children. Festival entrance was free for children under 15. See Chart Six. Chart Six Adults / Children Children 20% Adults 80% Recommendation: The presence of a large variety of children-oriented events was a major contributor to early or mid-morning attendance. Attendees that were surveyed were overall very pleased with the events and activities for children. A continued commitment to maintaining and promoting children-oriented events will ensure that the family-friendly appeal of the festival is maintained. Promotional material messaging should list family-friendly activities. 17

18 CONTACT AND ADVERTISING EXPOSURE HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE FESTIVAL? This survey question addressed how people first heard about the Dolores River Festival. Some attendees selected more than one category. Because the Festival draws a local crowd, the two most common responses were, Word of Mouth and Previous Attendee. 8 Those who answered Word of Mouth included some individuals who stated they had known about it for years. A portion of previous attendees knew the Festival is always held during the first week in June and thus planned accordingly. The data showed that 125 attendees found out via Word of Mouth. The second largest category was Previous Attendee, representing 70 attendees. See Chart Seven. Chart Seven How Did You Hear About the Festival? Recommendation: Word of Mouth advertising is by far the cheapest form of advertisement, especially because this Festival already has an established attendee base that returns year after year and spreads the word to their friends. The drawback to this is that once this steady base tells all their friends and family, the potential for growth is greatly diminished. To expand attendance, new mediums of advertising will be needed to continue to reach new people. 8 Previous Attendee was not initially a category listed on the survey. Due to large number of attendee responses, this category was added to enrich the data set. 18

19 Depending upon cost, it is recommended that more radio and newspaper advertising be used. It is also recommended that the use of social media be expanded because social media can be considered a digital form of word of mouth. For example, a social media volunteer could be assigned to regularly interact with the fans or attendees of the Festival on Facebook, allowing for increased awareness and better communication. One suggestion for the social media volunteer is to send out event reminders and encourage attendees to invite their friends. 19

20 WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND? This question attempted to provide a timeline for the attendee s decision to visit the Festival. A large percentage of people (26%) answered that they decided to attend the festival the day before the event. Interestingly, the second largest response was that they decided to come during last year s Festival. It appears that very little advance planning is done by Festival attendees, as 58% of attendees 9 decided to attend the week prior to the event. See Chart Eight. Note that last year includes multiple responses of decided to attend every festival after attending my first one years ago. Chart Eight Timeline for Attendence Decision Last Year 20% Day Of Event 13% Several Months Prior 8% Day Before Event 26% 1 Month Prior 4% Several Weeks Prior 10% Week Prior 19% Recommendation: Since the vast majority of attendees decided to come within a month prior to the event, we recommend that the bulk of advertising dollars be spent as close to the event as possible to gain greater awareness of the upcoming River Festival. For example, use a progressive escalation of advertising effort which increases on a weekly basis starting one month out from the Festival. The bulk of the advertising effort should be spent in the final week. We also recommend more road-side signage to let those visiting the area know about the Festival. 9 Includes Day of Event, Day Before Event, and Week Prior categories. 20

21 ADVERTISING RETURN ANALYSIS The Festival organizers reported that a total of $6, was spent on advertising. Newspaper advertising accounted for 64.24% of the total advertising budget. The data from the survey shows that only 10% of people came to the Festival due to advertisement in newspapers, while 5.4% came because of advertising on the internet (which received 0% of the advertising budget). 10 In addition, the 13.19% of the advertising budget that was spent on flyers and posters attracted 11.7% of the crowd. Recommendation: This suggests that the advertising budget should be adjusted to spend less on modes of advertising that have little effect on attendance and increase spending on more effective modes. Perhaps spending on advertisements on newspapers should be reduced and advertising on the internet should get more focus (as suggested in a comment by an attendee). Advertising by flyers could also help to bring in more people at a lower cost than that of newspaper ads. To attract people from outside the region, specific locations could be targeted with flyers and radio ads, leaving most local advertising to word of mouth. In addition, the use of social media could greatly augment Festival attendance. A volunteer social media expert could potentially reach a greater number of people at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. Consider expanding the use of both Facebook and Twitter as informational and communication tools. Ads can be placed on Facebook for a minimal expense while reaching a large demographic. 10 As categorized by the GDA. Website development expenditures totaled $382.50, listed under contract services instead of advertising. 21

22 REPEAT ATTENDANCE The next set of survey questions focused on attendance at the Festival. To begin, we asked the participants if they had previously attended the Festival, which a majority had, accounting for 61% of those surveyed. The remaining 39% had never attended the Festival before. See Chart Nine. Chart Nine Is This Your First Time Attending? Yes 39% No 61% For the 61% who had previously attended the Festival, a follow-up question was, How many years have you attended the festival? The numbers used to determine the percentages of Chart Ten include both attendees 2011 visit, as well as any previous visits. 11 The single largest response was 2 Years, at 22%. The second and third most frequent responses were 3 Years at 20% and 7 Years at 18%. The data shows that the Festival is bringing in new visitors while continuing to bring people back as well. 11 Please note that this format removes the one year listing, as all members of this group have previously attended at least once, which places them in the two or more year category. 22

23 Chart Ten Number of Years Attended? 8 Years 13% 2 Years 22% 7 Years 18% 3 Years 20% 6 Years 12% 5 Years 7% 4 Years 8% The final attendance question asked if the visitors intended to return to the Festival. Of those surveyed, 96% said they will return. There were seven Maybe responses (3%). There was a single No response, which accounted for less than 1% of those surveyed. All of those who responded Maybe were first time attendees and had not been at the Festival long enough to form an opinion. The single No response came from an individual who just happened to be in the area for the summer, but had no plans to return to the area the following summer. See Chart Eleven. 23

24 Chart Eleven Do You Plan to Attend Again? No 1% Maybe 3% Yes 96% Recommendation: To increase attendance, measures should be taken to increase the first timers from the reported 39%. The data suggests that nearly all of the newcomers would become repeat attendees and therefore increase the overall numbers. Therefore, new and/or different advertising methods should be used (as stated in previous recommendation) with the intention of drawing in new demographics. For example, several attendees mentioned the Festival s dog friendly attitude. Therefore, increased advertising could potentially target dog owners. Also the Festival coordinators might consider partnerships with local animal shelters/rescue organizations as well as veterinarians/pet supply stores. 24

25 TRIP AND ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION NUMBER OF DAYS IN AREA Participants were then asked the number of days they intended to stay in the area as a result of the Festival. The data was segmented by the number of days (if staying less than a week), or if the attendee was a Permanent Resident of the area. 12 Residents were the largest portion of the Festival, accounting for 88% of those surveyed. The second largest group were people who stayed for two days, at 6%. These people were predominately staying for the weekend before returning home. 13 See Chart Twelve. Chart Twelve Days in Area? 2 Days 6% 3 Days 1% 4 Days 1% Week or Longer 1% 1 Day 3% Resident 88% Recommendation: Given that all of the festival events officially take place on one day, it was not surprising that the majority of the non-local attendees were in the area for one day. For the minority of festival attendees that did stay more than one day, they were generally in the area sightseeing. Therefore, we recommend additional information on local and regional activities to encourage more sightseeing for out-of-town visitors. This could be provided at the Festival information booth. 12 Resident defined as living in southwest Colorado, from towns such as Dolores, Mancos, Cortez, Durango, Dove Creek, or Rico. 13 There was a single entry not added to this group; an individual from Greenwood Springs, MS. This individual maintains a second home in the Dolores area, but is not a year-round resident. This technically removes their classification as a resident; and the duration of their stay is not dependent on the River Festival. 25

26 WHERE ARE YOU STAYING? The next set of questions was established to determine the types of attendee lodging. The vast majority (88%) of attendees stayed at Home, or with Family and Friends. The other 12% of attendees stayed in Campgrounds around the area, which represents the second largest portion. This again reflects both the communal and local nature of the event. An interesting note is that there were no responses for hotel, motel, or B&B. This may be reflective of the Festival, as it is focused on the river and outdoor recreational activities, which draw a certain type of individual. See Chart Thirteen. Chart Thirteen Where Are You Staying? Camp-ground 12% Home, Family, Friends 88% Recommendation: Given the close proximity of many of the attendees homes to Dolores, it is probable that lodging options may not be essential to most attendees. For those that stay with family/friends in or around Dolores, a future survey could separate these attendees to get a better idea of the number of attendees that are staying in places other than their own home. Partnering with local lodging establishments could potentially enhance revenue by encouraging more non-local attendance. For example, a discounted lodging and attendance package advertised ahead of time could encourage attendees to not only attend, but to also stay longer in the area. 26

27 WHAT CITY ARE YOU STAYING IN? This question asked attendees where they were staying overnight while attending the Festival. Please note that city does not denote staying within the actual city limits. For visitors staying in campgrounds, the nearest town was listed. As expected, most attendees were staying in Dolores, which accounted for 40% of the responses. Cortez was the second largest town of lodging, at 29%, with Mancos at third with 16%. Durango accounted for 7% of the overnight accommodations, while Rico was 3%. See Chart Fourteen. Chart Fourteen What City Are You Staying In? Durango 7% Rico 3% Other 5% Mancos 16% Dolores 40% Cortez 29% The Other category includes Monticello, NM; Greely, CO; Jerome, AZ; and Dove Creek, CO. These individuals either planned day trips or stopped by on their way through Dolores. Recommendation: The responses show that a large portion of attendees are staying within the regional area. To further utilize the discount lodging package, we recommend partnering with establishments in the cities of Dolores, Cortez, and Mancos. 27

28 ACTIVITIES WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO COME? This question was posed to gauge interest in the various events and activities that the festival offers. The single largest attraction to the Festival was Music, drawing 29% of attendees. Beyond that; Family, was second at 17%. Food and Drink/Beer were tied for third, both at 15%. The relative proximity of these numbers denotes that beyond music, there is no clear favored alternate activity to promote. River Activities were slightly lower than the previous four, at 12%. See Chart Fifteen. Volunteer 1% Friends/Socialize 4% Chart Fifteen Why Did You Come? Other 7% Family 17% River 12% Drink/ Beer 15% Music 29% Food 15% The Other category included, Support Non-Profits, Check Out the Festival, Message to Children, 14 Vendors, and Dogs. Recommendation: Attendee responses consistently indicated music was the most popular reason for visiting the Festival. Because music is established as the primary draw for attendees, we recommend more specific promotion for other festival activities. For example, advertise a large beer and food selection while also emphasizing family/dog activities and atmosphere. 14 This individual was a member of the Mancos school district and was promoting an education and anti-bullying agenda. 28

29 ACTIVITIES PARTICIPATED IN This question asked attendees which activities they had already participated in, or planned to participate in. Please note that these are not mutually exclusive. In other words, a single individual could have selected multiple activities during the survey process. The numbers displayed in Chart Sixteen provide percentages of the total population that said they were participating in a specific event. Music 15 was the primary attraction for Festival attendees. Food Stands and Drink Booths were the next most popular activities. Chart Sixteen Activities Participated 66.4% 57.8% 46.2% 44.4% 29.1% 18.4% 4.5% 4.0% 5.8% 2.7% 9.0% 5.8% 9.4% 9.4% 6.3% Recommendation: The low attendance at multiple activities could be due to unavailability of scheduling information and/or coordination problems. Vocal announcements seemed ineffective in relaying scheduling information. We recommend an increased availability of printed schedules, which could be given to festival attendees as they enter the premises. Festival coordinators should also review this information when considering what to offer for future Festivals. 15 Category combines both Music Main Stage, and Music Side Stage. 29

30 SPENDING The survey also included questions which asked the attendees to estimate the amount of money they planned to spend on each of the listed categories. 16 The majority of spending occurred in Food, Drinks, and Meals, which accounted for 50% of the recorded spending. Entrance fee represented the second largest amount of money spent, at 19%. The per person entrance fee is below $10 because both children and volunteers are included in this metric. See Chart Seventeen. Spending Category Table One Entrance Fee $6.57 Food, Drinks, Meals $16.61 Items Bought $6.29 Transportation $3.65 Overnight Accommodations $0.42 Per Person 16 Per person attendee spending was calculated by dividing the total amount spent by the number of attendees surveyed. 30

31 Chart Seventeen Per Person Spending Overnight Accomodations 1% Transportation 11% Entrance Fee 19% Items Bought 19% Food, Drinks, Meals 50% Recommendation: The average Festival attendee surveyed spent the most money on food and drinks. A greater economic impact could be seen by having more, and a greater variety of, these vendors. Based on survey comments, there were extremely long lines at multiple food and beverage vendors. 31

32 VENDOR DATA Vendors often travel to festivals and in doing so they spend money in the local area. There were a total of 50 vendors at the Festival. 17 A total of 14 vendors returned completed surveys. 18 Vendors sold a range of products, from food and beverage items to clothing. Others present at the festival represented various local, state, and environmental interests. 17 The term vendor includes food & beverage vendors, commercial vendors, not-for-profit vendors. 18 See Appendix E for a copy of the vendor survey. This provides a margin of error of 23.51% for a 95% confidence interval. This means that if we found that 50% of the vendors surveyed answered yes to a question, it is very likely that if we surveyed all 50 vendors, the proportion that we would find who would answer yes would be between 26.49% and 73.51%. It is unfortunate that we could not get more vendor data. 32

33 DEMOGRAPHICS WHERE DID ALL THE VENDORS COME FROM? Map 3 indicates the locations of all vendors at the Festival, which are represented by the blue markers. The zip code data was acquired from organizer s Festival data. The vendors represented all Four-Corner states: Colorado New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. The majority of the vendors surveyed were spread across Southwest Colorado. See Map 3. For the vendors that were surveyed, all were from Colorado. The following chart lists a breakdown of the number of vendors surveyed by city. An overwhelming majority of the vendors surveyed were from Dolores and Mancos. See Chart Eighteen. Map 3. All Vendor Locations 33

34 Chart Eighteen Vendors Surveyed by City Dolores, CO Mancos, CO Cortez, CO Montrose, CO Grand Junction, CO Pleasant View, CO Bedrock, CO Bayfield, CO GENDER ANALYSIS Event organizers requested a gender analysis of the vendors attending the Festival. The majority of Festival vendors were female, accounting for 64% of those surveyed. All of the vendors who had children in their party were female. See Chart Nineteen. Chart Nineteen Gender Male 36% Female 64% 34

35 TYPES WHAT TYPES OF VENDORS WERE PRESENT AT THE FESTIVAL? The chart below is a breakdown of the three types of surveyed parties. The largest category is not-for-profit vendors, accounting for 50% of the total. Commercial vendors were the next largest category, at 26%. See Chart Twenty. Chart Twenty Vendor Types Food/Beverage 24% Not-for-Profit 50% Commerical 26% 35

36 TRIP & ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION SURVEYED VENDOR LODGING BY CITY Of those vendors surveyed, 57% stayed in Dolores. The second largest town for housing vendors was Mancos, with 22% of those surveyed. The rest of the vendors surveyed stayed within an hour and a half drive, with the furthest lodging in Bayfield. Chart Twenty-One visually illustrates this information. Chart Twenty-One Surveyed Vendor Lodging by City Pleasant View, CO 7% Bayfield, CO 7% Cortez, CO 7% Mancos, CO 22% Dolores, CO 57% REPEAT ATTENDANCE According to those vendors surveyed, this was not their first time attending the Festival and many indicated their intentions to return next year. Chart Twenty-Two (a) shows over 75% of vendors had attended the Festival previously. Of the surveyed vendors who had previously attended, an additional question was asked, How many years have you previously attended the Festival? The majority of surveyed vendors had previously attended the past 2 or 3 years, accounting for 55% of the responses. Chart Twenty-Two (b) reflects this information. 36

37 Chart Twenty-Two (a) How Many Previous Years Attended? 3 Years 21% 2 Years 79% Chart Twenty-Two (b) How Many Previous Years Attended? 8 Years 18% 2 Years 28% 5 Years 18% 4 Years 9% 3 Years 27% 37

38 SPENDING SPENDING BREAKDOWN The average vendor spent $ at the Festival, generating an estimated total spending by vendors of $14, The Other category drew the most spending by vendors accounting for 41.8%. 20 Booth fees were the second largest expenditure, at 32%. Surveyed vendors spent very little money on souvenirs and equipment. Chart Twenty-Three illustrates the specific distribution of an average vendor s spending during the Festival. Chart Twenty-Four illustrates how surveyed vendor spending breaks down by percentages. Chart Twenty-Three Average Per Vendor Surveyed Spending $ $92.86 $23.57 $17.36 $2.86 $23.29 $ Total vendor spending was calculated by finding an average spending number from the vendors surveyed and then multiplying that number by the total number of vendors at the Festival. 20 This spending was entirely undertaken by KSJD, the beer tent vendor and is a statistical outlier. 38

39 Chart Twenty-Four Average Spending Per Surveyed Vendor Booth Fee 32.0% Other 41.8% Overnight Accommodations 3.1% Transportation 8.0% Souvenirs/ Equipment Purchased 1.0% Refresments/Snacks 8.1% Meals Purchased 6.0% Recommendation: We suggest providing vendors who came from out of the area a discount lodging package. This might entice them to stay longer and spend more. A tiered booth fee by category of sales might also be considered because food and beverage vendors had higher number of transactions relative to other vendors. 39

40 THE ECONOMIC IMPACT DIRECT, INDIRECT, AND INDUCED EFFECTS OF THE 2011 DOLORES RIVER FESTIVAL Direct, indirect, and induced effects occurred as the Festival generated additional wealth to the economy. Direct economic effects occurred when the Festival organizers bought goods and services from local businesses. The increased economic activity of the Festival creates a ripple effect throughout the local economy. The ripple effect is due to the indirect and induced effects, which further generate income. Indirect effects include the increase in income that is created when the local businesses receive revenue from conducting business with the Festival, and in turn make purchases from others within the economy. Induced effects occur when Festival vendors and participants spend money on goods, services, and property that ordinarily would not have been purchased had they not attended the Festival. 40

41 The Dolores Festival Creates Additional Wealth Direct Impacts Local Business Vendors and Festival attendees spend locally Indirect Impacts Induced Impacts Create more wealth through trade; trading partner incomes Economists typically estimate indirect and induced impacts by using a multiplier. Multipliers are used to represent the ripple effects of money throughout the economy, which occurs as money is traded multiple times generating income and wealth (through trade). The multiplier used for the economic impact study of the Festival has been calculated at This signifies that for every dollar that the organizers, attendees and vendors of the Festival spent an extra $0.54 in additional economic value or income is generated in other industries. When determining the multiplier for an area it is imperative to account for the variety of purchases made within the local region. Due to the size and rural nature of the Town of Dolores, the producers may purchase materials and equipment from outside the region, thereby reducing the multiplier effect. The multiplier used in this study was obtained from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) IMPLAN pro 2.0 software and was calculated for Southwest Colorado. In order to provide a better estimate of the overall economic impact of the Dolores River Festival, the impact was estimated twice, using two different assumptions: Assumption One In Table Two below it was assumed that all of the money spent at the Festival by local organizers, vendors and attendees in the town of Dolores would not have been spent in the town of Dolores if the Festival had not taken place. Therefore, that spending is included in the economic impact. Table Two displays the economic impact of the Dolores River Festival that took place in June 2011 using Assumption One. Economic impacts of the Festival occurring outside the town of Dolores are not represented in the Table. 21 This multiplier was provided by the Bureau of Economic Analysis IMPLAN Pro 2.0 program. The multiplier is for Southwest Colorado other amusement and recreation industries. 41

42 Table Two Results of Economic Impact Study, Dolores River Festival 22 (Assumption One) Festival organizers budgetary expenditures in the town of Dolores. $11, Vendor Expenditures in the town of Dolores 23 $3, Attendee Expenditures in the town of Dolores 24 $23, Direct and Induced Economic Impact $38, Multiplier Total Estimated Economic Impact $60, The numbers in Table Two show that the direct and induced economic impacts were $38,990.04, the sum of the organizers, vendors and attendee expenditures. Note that about 61% of the total economic impact of the Festival was the result of the attendees direct expenditures. The Festival organizer s direct budgetary expenditures were 29.2% of the total economic impact, and vendor direct expenditures accounted for 10%. 22 See all Assumptions made in Appendix A. It is assumed that all of the spending by the Town of Dolores residents would not have happened if the Festival had not taken place in the town. 23 Vendor expenditures include booth fees paid, transportation expenditures, food/meals/snacks, souvenirs/equipment purchased and lodging. Fee spending was calculated by taking the total amount of fees paid by the fourteen vendors surveyed divided by fourteen to get an average fee paid. This number ($92.86) was then multiplied by 50 to get a total fee amount ($4,643.00). Although the vendors spent this amount, this money was paid to the organizers and will not be included in this section to avoid double counting (since we assume the organizers will use this money to stage the Festival). Transportation expenditures were determined by taking 36% (of $1,164.50) that was spent by local vendors (this total amount was spent in the town of Dolores). Therefore, $1, x.36 = $ was spent by locals. Of the remaining 64% of the vendors, only 33% was spent in the town of Dolores. Non-local spending was $1, $ = $ x.33 = $ Food and meals spending was derived the same way: $868 x.36 = $ was spent by locals. Non-locals spent $868 - $ = $ x.33 = $ Snacks and refreshment spending was derived the same way: 1, x.36 = $ was spent by locals. Non-local spending was $1, = x.33 = $ We assume that Souvenirs and Equipment spending all took place within the Town of Dolores by all of the vendors. Therefore, total spending on these items $2.86 x 50 = $ Twenty-one percent of the vendors were assumed to have purchased lodging in Dolores (based on the vendor survey). Therefore, 11 x average spending ($8.93) = $ For additional spending (the Other category), one vendor surveyed spent $1, We assume this to be an outlier and therefore was not multiplied by all 50 vendors. Total: , , adding all of these together = $3, Attendee expenditures included food/meals/drinks, transportation, accommodations, entrance fees, and items bought. Spending by attendees could have taken place either at Festival vendors or at local establishments. In order to include spending at local establishments, we added local restaurants and retail establishments to the local vendor list to adequately reflect the amount of money staying in the Town of Dolores. Food/drinks/meals expenditures were calculated by determining total spending by locals of $11, and then determining that 56% of that was spent at local vendors or retailers. Since 56% of the vendors/establishments were local, 56% of spending at vendor/local establishments was counted. Therefore, $11, x.56 = $6, (which is all local spending). Non-locals spent $25, Assuming that non-locals spent 2/3rds of their food budget on their way to and from the Festival, then $25, x.33 = $8, That number is then multiplied by.56 (local vendors) = $4, Transportation spending was calculated by taking the total spending by locals = $2, and adding spending by nonlocals (33% of their total), which is $5, x.33 = $1, Accommodation spending was calculated by taking an average of $0.42 spent multiplied by 1,558 attendees not from the local area = $ Items bought spending was $13, x.56 (local vendors/establishments) = $7, Entrance fees are paid to the organizers of the Festival. Therefore, they are not included in these expenditures in order avoid double counting. Adding all of these up = $6, $4, $2, $1, $ $7, = $23,

43 Including the multiplier effect, the Festival s total estimated economic impact was $60, Some perspective may be gained by recognizing that this event generated about % of the annual personal income in the Montezuma County. 25 Assumption Two In Table Three below it was assumed that all of the money spent at the Festival by local organizers, vendors and attendees in the Town of Dolores would have been spent in the Town of Dolores with or without the Festival. Therefore, that spending is not included in the economic impact. Table Three Results of Economic Impact Study, Dolores River Festival 26 (Assumption Two) Festival organizers budgetary expenditures in $0.00 the Town of Dolores 27 Vendor Expenditures in the Town of Dolores 28 $ Attendee Expenditures in Dolores, CO 29 $23, Direct and Induced Economic Impact $23, Multiplier Total Estimated Economic Impact $36, The annual income of Montezuma County is $824,513,000 according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This figure is for 2009, the most recent data available. Personal income data is not available for The Town of Dolores. 26 See Assumptions in Appendix A. It is assumed that all of the spending by Dolores, CO residents would have happened with or without the Festival. 27 Since the organizers are local, none of their spending is counted here. 28 Non-local transportation spending was $1, $ = $ x.33 = $ Food and meals spending was derived the same way: non-locals spent $868 - $ = $ x.33 = $ Snacks and refreshment spending was derived the same way: non-local spending was $1, = x.33 = $ We assume that Souvenirs and Equipment spending all took place within the Town of Dolores by all of the vendors. Therefore, total spending on these items $2.86 x 32 (number of non-local vendors) = $ Twenty-one percent (50 vendors x.21 = 10.5, rounded to 11) of the vendors were assumed to have purchased lodging. Therefore, 11 x average spending ($8.93) = $ For additional spending (the Other category), one vendor surveyed spent $1,700.00, however this vendor was local and will not be counted here. Total: , adding all of these together = $ Food/drinks/meals spending by non-locals was $25, Assuming that non-locals spent 2/3rds of their food budget on their way to and from the Festival, then $25, x.33 = $8, That number is then multiplied by.56 (local vendors) = $4, Transportation spending by non-locals (33% of their total) was $5, x.33 = $1, Accommodation spending was calculated by taking an average of $0.42 spent multiplied by 1,558 attendees not from the local area = $ Items bought average spending was $6.29 x 1,558 (non-local attendees) = $9, x.56 (local vendors/establishments) = $5, Entrance fees are paid to the organizers of the Festival. The average entrance fee was $6.57. There were 1,558 non-local attendees. The total entrance fee collected from non-locals was calculated at $10, Therefore, these expenditures were counted because this is money that local organizers would not have been able to collect and spend without these non-locals in attendance. Adding all of these up = $4, $1, $ $5, $10, = $23,

44 Given our new assumption regarding local spending, the numbers in Table Three show that the direct and induced economic impacts were $23,903.02, the sum of the organizers, vendors and attendee direct expenditures. Note that 96% of the total economic impact of the Festival was the result of the attendees direct expenditures. The Festival organizer s direct budgetary expenditures were 0% of the total economic impact since they are local, all of the money spent on organizing the Festival would have been spent in the Town of Dolores on another event or some other use. Direct vendor expenditures made up 3.6% of the impact. Including the multiplier effect, the Festival s total estimated economic impact was $36, Some perspective may be gained by recognizing that this event generated about percent of the annual personal income in the Montezuma County. 30 Comparison of the Two Assumption Results In comparing the two economic impacts (Table Two and Table Three), most likely the true impact lies somewhere in between these two numbers. Chart Twenty Five represents the total attendee spending in the Town of Dolores and shows how the total impact varies based on assumption one and assumption two. 30 The annual income of Montezuma County is $$824,513,000 according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This figure is for 2009, the most recent data available. Personal income data is not available for The Town of Dolores. 44

45 Chart Twenty-Five 12, , Total Attendee Spending in the Town of Dolores 10, , , , , , , Assumption One 4, Assumption Two 2, , TAX REVENUE IMPACTS The additional productivity the Festival generated in the Town of Dolores created additional sales tax revenue for the town. Sales Tax Revenue The sales tax rate in the Town of Dolores is 3.5%. 31 This resulted in an estimate of $2, in additional sales tax revenue for the Town of Dolores under Assumption One. Under Assumption Two, the sales tax revenue is estimated at $1, Again, the true estimate probably falls between these two numbers. Both numbers were calculated by taking the direct marginal or additional spending by organizers, vendors and attendees in the Town of Dolores and multiplying by 2.0%. Then, due to the multiplier effect, an additional 54 cents for every dollar of direct spending is also spent in Town of Dolores. Therefore, this additional spending was also multiplied by the 2.0% to find the total sales tax revenue estimate. This is shown in Table Four. 31 Colorado Department of Revenue: 45

46 Table Four Town of Dolores Sales Tax Approximations Festival-Related Activities Subject to Sales Tax Town of Dolores Sales Tax Rate Estimated Sales Tax (Assumption One) Direct expenditures $38, % $1, Expenditures due to the multiplier effect $21, % $ TOTAL Sales Tax Revenue Estimate $2, Festival-Related Activities Subject to Sales Tax Town of Dolores Sales Tax Rate Estimated Sales Tax (Assumption Two) Direct expenditures $23, % $ Expenditures due to the multiplier effect $12, % $ TOTAL Sales Tax Revenue Estimate $1,

47 COMMENTS FROM SURVEYS ATTENDEE COMMENTS The following comments were obtained from the attendees who were surveyed at the Festival. The comments are divided into several categories so that they can be analyzed. These categories include: layout and accommodations, entrance fees, availability and accuracy of information, events, vendors, entertainment, and concerns about the Festival. 1. Layout and accommodations of the Festival a. Festival grounds located too far from river. b. End time is too early. c. Dogs should have a separate play area. d. Not enough shade. e. Water features as a means to cool off. f. More recycling, facilities were not adequate. 2. Entrance Fees a. Entrance should be free. b. Lower entry fee. c. Local response teams should get free entry. d. Children should remain free. 3. Information at the Festival a. More information on activities, more printed handouts. b. Longer notice of events. 4. Events at the Festival a. Activity locations were confusing. b. Petting Zoo. c. Full body painting. d. Mountain bike loop. e. More activities. f. Teen activities. g. More dog activities. h. More rafting: raft signups closed within the hour. i. Rotary Race Issues: The organizer was not present for the race. 5. Vendors at the Festival a. More local arts and crafts for sale. 47

48 b. More vendors. c. Local farmers market. d. Wine Tent. e. Additional Beer Tents. f. More food vendors. 6. Entertainment at the Festival a. Variety in Music. 7. Concerns a. Food Vendor area was used by non-paying visitors to enter festival. b. No Dogs. c. Less police. 48

49 VENDOR COMMENTS Comments received from the vendor surveys consisted of both positive and negative feedback. 1. Festival Organization a. Well organized. b. Large vendor selection. c. User friendly. 2. Activities a. Quality music. b. Broad range of activities. c. Activity cost too high. 3. Entrance Fee a. Too high. 49

50 APPENDICES A. Assumptions of the Economic Impact Study B. Sponsorship of the Festival C. Organizer Survey D. Attendee Survey E. Vendor Survey 50

51 APPENDIX A Assumptions Made in the Economic Impact Study In order to calculate the economic impact of the 2011 Dolores River Festival several assumptions must be made. Most of these assumptions are based on historical data and surveys taken during the Festival. Every effort was made to make realistic assumptions based on credible evidence and/or sound theory. Assumptions Regarding Spending by the Festival Organizers The Festival organizers spent a total of $34,585. Of that total, $6, was spent on advertising outside of Dolores. The economic impact was undertaken using two different assumptions. Assumption One: It is assumed that all of the spending done by local organizers, attendees and vendors would not have happened if the Festival had not taken place in the town. Assumption Two: It is assumed that all of the spending done by local organizers, attendees and vendors would have happened with or without the Festival. Assumptions Regarding Spending by Attendees Items Purchased at the Event Spending: We assume that 56% of the spending on items purchased at the event, was spent with local retailers. These numbers were generated from information regarding the number of vendors and retailers present at the Festival. Since 44% of the vendors surveyed came from outside the Town Dolores, we assume the revenue spent on their items will not stay in the town and is therefore not counted in the economic impact. Therefore, only 56% of the spending on items purchased from vendors is counted in the impact, the remaining value was spent with non local vendors and therefore is not counted. Transportation and Food/Drinks/Meals Spending: Of the 223 surveyed, 31% resided within the Town of Dolores, while the remaining 69% were from outside the town. These percentages were determined by analyzing the zip code data. Therefore, we assume that 31% surveyed (residents of the Town of Dolores) spent 100% of their transportation and food/beverages expenditures within the Town of Dolores. We also assume that these attendees would not have spent this money locally had it not been for the Festival (they would have sought out entertainment elsewhere) when using Assumption One. When using Assumption Two, we assumed that this local spending would have taken place with or without the Festival and therefore, it was not counted in the spending estimates We assume that 69% surveyed (non-residents of the Town of Dolores) spent 33% of transportation and food/beverages expenditures within the Town of Dolores. This is because we assume that two thirds of their travel and food/beverage expenditures were made on their way to and from the Festival (and therefore outside of the town). 51

52 Overnight Lodging Spending: Of the 223 surveyed 40% lodged within the Town of Dolores, while the remaining 60% lodged outside of the Town of Dolores. These percentages were determined by analyzing data from the survey. Therefore, we assume that 60% of those surveyed spent 100% of their lodging expenditures within the Town of Dolores, while the remaining 40% had no lodging expenditures within the Town of Dolores. Assumptions Regarding Spending by Vendors Vendor Fees: Vendors paid an average fee of $92.85 (depending upon the space size). The Dolores River Festival received 100% of that fee, therefore none of this was counted in the economic impact to avoid double counting since we counted this spending via vendor spending. Transportation and Food/Drinks/Meal/Snacks Spending: Thirty-six percent of the vendors surveyed resided within the Town of Dolores, while the remaining 64% resided outside the town. These percentages were determined by analyzing the zip code data. Therefore, we assume that 36% of the vendors (residents of the Town of Dolores) spent 100% of their transportation and food/beverages expenditures within the Town of Dolores. We also assume that these vendors would not have spent this money locally had it not been for the Festival (they would have taken their business elsewhere in Assumption One). In Assumption Two we assume the dollars would have been spent in the Town of Dolores with or without the Festival. We assume that 64% of the vendors (non-residents of the Town of Dolores) spent 33% of transportation and food/beverages expenditures within the Town of Dolores. This is because we assume that two thirds of their travel and food/beverage expenditures were made on their way to and from the Festival (and therefore outside of the town). Items Purchased at the Event Spending: Vendors spending on equipment and souvenirs spent the entirety of the money within the Town of Dolores. Overnight Lodging Spending: Since 21% of the vendors stayed within the Town of Dolores, we assume that 100% of their lodging expenditures were made in the Town of Dolores. Assumptions Regarding Tax Analysis In order to estimate the amount of sales tax and lodger s tax revenue the Town of Dolores generated due to the Festival, we had to make the following assumptions. County Sales Tax: The amount of spending on items purchased at the event (in the Town of Dolores) by the organizers and the attendees was used to calculate the amount of sales tax revenue generated by 52

53 the festival for the Town of Dolores. The additional spending derived from the multiplier effect was also included. This assumes that the additional spending was on taxable items. When using Assumption Two, the amount of spending in the Town of Dolores due to the Festival by locals was not included to calculate the tax revenue. 53

54 APPENDIX B Organizer Survey 1. About Your Organization Dolores River Festival - Survey (Organizer) Organization Name: Mailing Address: City, State, Zip: Telephone Number: Organization Organizations Website: Name of Contact Person : 2. Please provide the itemized expenditures that your organization made in order to organize the Dolores River Festival Overhead, Operating, Advertising, etc. Please itemize your expenses here or attach a sheet with itemized expenses. Note: Please break down advertising expenditures as to the type of advertising the money was spent on. A. Total expenses spent outside of the Town of Dolores $ B. Total expenses spent in the Town of Dolores $ Total expenses (A + B) $ 54

55 3. Revenues Generated for your Organization (from the Dolores River Festival) A. Entrance Fees $ B. Other Revenues Generated (please specify/itemize here or attach another sheet) $ C. Monetary Donations to your organization from those who reside in Dolores, Colorado $ D. Monetary Donations to your organization from those who do not reside in Dolores, Colorado $ 4. In-Kind Contributions to Your Organization Please provide the estimated dollar values of the in-kind contributions that your organization received as a result of the Dolores River Festival. In-kind contributions are non-monetary donations such as materials, facilities and services. Note: local means Dolores, Colorado. A. From local businesses $ B. From non-local businesses $ C. From local (city) government $ D. From non-local (city or county) government $ E. From local individuals $ F. From non-local individuals $ G. Other (Please Specify) $ H. Total In-kind contributions $ 5. Volunteer Hours Dedicated to Your Organization Please provide the total hours volunteered to your organization in order to put on the Dolores River Festival. A. Total Volunteer hour s #hrs 55

56 6. Donations made from your organization due to revenue generated from the Dolores River Festival A. Please list the organizations (with their zip codes) and dollar amounts given or attach another sheet. Thank You! 56

57 APPENDIX C Attendee Survey Welcome to the Dolores River Festival! Three students from Fort Lewis College are conducting an economic impact study of the Festival. We would appreciate a few moments of your time to complete this survey. This information is very important to the accuracy and effectiveness of the study and will be used to improve future events. 1. What is the zip code at your home address? 2. How did you hear about this Festival? a. Word of Mouth b. Newspaper/Magazine Story/Ad c. Flyer or Poster d. Internet/ 3. When did you decide to attend the Festival? 4. How many people are attending this Festival with you (including yourself)? a. # of adults b. # of children 5. How many days will you be staying in the area for the Festival? 6. Is this your first time attending the Festival? Yes or No. If no, how many times have you attended the Festival? Do you plan to attend again? Yes or No. 57

58 7. Where are you staying during the Festival? a. At home or with family/friends b. Hotel/Motel/Bed & Breakfast c. Campground/RV d. Condo or Timeshare e. Other 8. In what city/town are you staying? a. Dolores b. Cortez c. Mancos d. Durango e. Rico f. Other (Please specify) 9. Why did you come to the Festival? a. Family b. Music c. Food d. Drink/Beer e. River f. Other (Please specify) 10. Which of the following Festival activities have you participated in today (or plan to participate in)? a. Fun Run b. Raft Rides c. Kayak Demos d. River Dog Contest e. River Parade f. Duckie Race g. Arts & Crafts h. Face Painting i. Aerial Acrobatics j. Educational Activities k. Music - Main Stage l. Music Side Stage m. Vendor Shopping n. Food Concessions o. Beverage Booth 11. Please list the amount that you and your party have spent or plan to spend in the area specifically as a result of your attendance at this event. Remember to include money spent before, during, and after this event. a. Entrance Fee $. b. Food, drinks, and meals $. c. Items purchased at the event $. (clothing, gear, souvenirs, gifts, etc.) 58

59 d. Transportation $. (gas, plane tickets, rental cars, taxi, parking meters, etc.) e. Overnight accommodations $. f. Other (please specify) $. 12. Is there anything that you would like to see added to the Festival next year? 13. Please write any additional comments you might have regarding the Festival on the slip of paper provided by your surveyor and return it to him/her or drop it in the Comments/Survey Box located at the information booth. Thank you for your time. Enjoy the Festival! 59

60 APPENDIX D Vendor, Sponser, Exhibitor Survey Welcome vendors, sponsors, performers and exhibitors. Please take the time to complete this survey. Three students from Fort Lewis College are conducting an economic impact study of the Dolores River Festival and this information is very important to the accuracy of the study. It will only take a few minutes to complete. 1. What is your zip code? 2. Are you a: Vendor Sponsor Exhibitor Performer/Entertainer Other (please specify) 3. In what city/town are you staying while at the Festival? a. Dolores b. Cortez c. Mancos d. Durango e. Rico f. Other (Please specify) 4. Please list below the amount that you and your party have spent or plan to spend in the Dolores area specifically as a result of your attendance at the Dolores River Festival. Remember to include money spent before, during, and after the Festival. 60