Bravo! Vail Music Festival boosts local, Colorado economy by $34 million in 2023, report finds

Bravo! Vail Music Festival announced in October that its 36th annual summer festival, from June 22 to Aug. 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. 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.