Bravo! Vail’s 2023 Music Festival Boosts Local Colorado Economy by $34 million

Bravo! Vail Music Festival announced today that its 36th annual summer Festival, from June 22 to August 3, brought in $34 million in direct economic impact to Eagle County and the state of Colorado. 

The $34-million figure reflects $1.5 million in sales tax revenue for all Eagle County towns, with the remaining $32.5 million directly benefiting local businesses, according to a new report by Intercept Insights, a marketing research firm in Avon, CO. The research is based on the spending of  49,229 concert attendees and 527 musicians during the Festival. 

In the Town of Vail alone, the Festival generated more than $19.9 million in direct economic impact. This included $634,373 in sales tax; $5.8 million spent on food and beverage; and $8.9 million spent on lodging — approximately 21,123 rooms. Eighty-nine percent of attendees who live outside Vail said they came specifically for the Festival. 

     “The most recent data confirms Bravo! Vail's continuing presence as an indispensable economic driver in Eagle County,” said Caitlin Murray, Executive Director of Bravo! Vail. “Not only are we known as one of the world’s top classical music festivals, but we also continue to underscore Vail as a premier tourist destination for arts and culture, while boosting the region’s economy.”

In addition to Bravo! Vail’s direct economic impact in Eagle County, the Festival provided more than 35 free education and engagement events throughout the Valley, giving everyone in the community the opportunity to attend high-quality classical music concerts, regardless of socioeconomic circumstance. 

Bravo! Vail’s $34 million economic impact figure is a significant increase from last year’s $26.2 million, which shows the strong economic growth that continues both in the organization and in the county.  

36th Annual Bravo Vail Music Festival Numbers: 

Number of Events

• Total: 89
• Paid: 37
• Free: 52

Attendance

• Total: 49,229
• Participating musicians: 527

Colorado’s Eagle County 

• Direct economic impact: $34 million
• Tax revenue: $1.5 million

Colorado’s Town of Vail

• Direct economic impact: $19.9 million
• Tax revenue: $634,373
• Lodging: $8.9 million — 21,123 rooms
• Food and beverage: $5.6 million

About Bravo! Vail Music Festival
Consistently cited as one of the top 10 classical music festivals in the country, the Bravo! Vail Music Festival brings world-renowned musicians to picturesque venues throughout the Vail and Eagle River Valley region for six weeks, drawing music lovers from around the world. The only festival in North America to host four of the world’s finest orchestras in a single season, Bravo! Vail celebrates its 37th season from June 20 to August 1, 2024, with more than 60 chamber music concerts, family and youth concerts, and signature performances by the Festival’s resident orchestras — over half of which are presented for free. Beyond its summer programming, Bravo! Vail serves the community by providing year-round low-cost music education through Music Makers Haciendo Música, a piano and violin instruction program to help develop new generations of musicians and music lovers. Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott has led the Festival since 2011. "[Bravo! Vail] is the most high-profile — and high altitude — mountain music festival in America." - The Times