30A Songwriter's Fest impacts community

This year's 30A Songwriter's Festival has come and gone, but its effect lingers.

During last weekend's event, 130 artists, including 30 headliners, performed at 20 venues up and down County Road 30A throughout the weekend, and was enjoyed by approximately 3,500 people, said festival chair Russell Carter of Russell Carter Artist Management.

Ticket sales were substantially higher this year over last, and sponsorships also increased, said Carter.

Carter said all data has not been compiled yet and it is not yet clear how many of those tickets were sold through various outlets, how many were included in lodging packages, and how many were given away to artists and the press. Some were day passes and some were weekend passes.

As for how many people the festival drew from out of the area to the event, the data is not complete yet on that either. However, demographic surveys were taken and it appears that 60 to 70 percent of attendees were from out of town.

"People need to remember what mid January was like here before the festival was begun," said Carter. "Most businesses shut down during January because it used to be very slow, but now they're open. And it's not just bars and restaurants, but all stores. The festival affects everything in a 20-mile radius. Everyone feels the positive impact."

Carter said the Gulf Place and Seaside amphitheater venues drew more people because they could accommodate larger crowds and thus saw the biggest crowds there Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

"The Seaside Lyceum was packed at its 1,500-person capacity Saturday afternoon, and there were around 2,000 at Gulf Place Sunday afternoon. Others saw anywhere from 35 to 300 people depending on the venue. My sense is that generally speaking most were full and with no long lines because there were so many different ones to choose from. It worked well," said Carter.

South Walton County Tourist Development Council's Director of Marketing and Communications, Jon Ervin, said the festival's benefits to the community are many.

"It helps to grow our reputation as a destination that celebrates the arts and that here is always an enjoyable place to share leisure time. It gives a reason to visit outside of the peak tourism months and everyone benefits from starting the year with a little momentum," said Ervin.

Ervin also said that as for direct impacts, "Establishments are reporting increases in overnight accommodation rentals as well as retail sales. And, when we welcome artists from all around the country into this destination, they become unofficial ambassadors who return to their circles and share their wonderful impressions of this place. Many artists spoke about loving what they saw and either have already visited for personal travel or are now planning to return."

One of those artists was Joan Osborn, who, he said, specifically commented that every destination claims to have the best beach but after holding our sugar sand in her hand she knows we really do have the best beach.

This was the third annual 30A Songwriter's Festival and next year's is already being planned. The dates for 2013 are Jan. 18-20.

Carter said he will spend the better part of the year educating artists who will come here about the venue and the area.