Street Festival expects €200,000 local boost

ENNIS is set to benefit from a €200,000 boost to the local economy as a result of this year’s Ennis Street Festival, according to organisers. This year’s event will take place from July 5 to 7 with a target of attracting 5,000 people to attend the various events organised.

 

According to festival director, Ana Bella Alvarez, “After eight years in existence, the Ennis Street Festival is becoming increasingly popular among locals and tourists and injecting extra revenue into the region as a means to revitalise local economy. This means we not only bring in new visitors, we also help to keep visitors in the region longer.”

There was an estimated total attendance in 2012 over the weekend of 3,000 festival goers. While the festival committee say putting an economic value on the event can be difficult, they have conservatively estimated that around €120,000 was contributed to the local economy.

“For 2013, with an expanded festival calendar and the target of 5,000 attendees over the weekend, the local economy could benefit by up to €200,000,” said Ana Bella.

The budget spent in 2012 was €20,000, with an average of 1,500 festival goers each day during the festival. Independent financial calculation of similar festivals shows that it contributed €120,000 to the local economy. Up to to two thirds of the 2012 budget was spent in local services, business and artists, with experience showing this can have a multiplier effect with money spent locally being re-spent locally.

For 2013, the festival is moving to a greater level with an almost doubled projected budget of €38,500, and a target to increase the number of festival goers.

The festival has been endorsed by the Clare County Council Gathering 2013 co-ordination committee and has been included in their annual programme, which states, “Every year this arts festival brings all the local community out onto the streets of our town to celebrate the many cultures and artistic ways that make Ennis such a special place.”

The Ennis Street Festival website was one of three nominated for best festival website by the Association of Irish Festival Events (Aoife) last year.

Ana Bella stated, “Ennis Street Festival goers are an open minded, media-savvy audience looking to align themselves with experiences and events that are innovative and dynamic. they are accepting people and like to challenge themselves and broaden their minds.

“The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Let’s Explore’. With this concept we will invite visitors to explore the beauty of  Clare and Ennis. We will encourage all the Clare communities and artists to create new projects to welcome  visitors to our county during our Gathering 2013.”

The festival’s 2013 programme will incorporate original artistic ideas based on folklore and enchantment. 
While the festival runs from July 5 to 7, there will also be different activities and workshops to be showcased from July 1 to 7 at Glór. Full details of the line-up, mixing artistic projects, aerial shows, puppets shows, music events, dance and theatre are to be announced very soon.

Ana Bella added, “The local participation is the key to success. the Ennis Street Festival is an open-access arts festival and as such anyone can get involved, be part of it and just make it happen naturally with plenty of enjoyment.

“Emotionally, our audience is looking for freedom from their everyday routine. Ennis Street Festival offers them a family-friendly, safe opportunity to enjoy something different.

“A special Gathering subcommittee in the organisation are exploring online the links to international groups with Irish connections. These will be targeted as part of our marketing campaign to attract more visitors to our town this year. A result of our marketing campaign was a review three months ago in The Irish Times about an Australian family who have been planning their upcoming trip to Ireland after they came across a documentary online about the Gathering and they decided to enjoy the Ennis Street Festival and Clare this year.”

The event is supported by Fáilte Ireland, Arts Council, Ennis Town Council, Clare County Council, Shannon Development, Ennis Chamber and local businesses.

Councillor Johnny Flynn, committee member, commented, “The annual Ennis Street Festival brings colour and excitement into the centre of Ennis and into the lives of Clare people, who are in Ennis over the first weekend of July each year.

“I have been happy to work with the festival team since its inception in their aim to bring art and culture into people’s everyday lives on the streets of Ennis. The social value of this  event is immeasurable as it changes the perception of, and access to, art for all who experience its mainly free or good value wide programme of events.”

Rita McInerney, CEO of Ennis Chamber also voiced her support for the festival and its effect on the local economy.

“The Ennis Street Festival is an important event on the social, cultural and economic calendar of Ennis. It brings a much needed boost in terms of entertainment and activity to the streets of Ennis to kick off the summer season.”