Bravo! Vail’s 2022 music festival boosts local Colorado economy by $26.2 million

Bravo! Vail Music Festival on Thursday issued the following press release on the direct economic impact to Eagle County and state of Colorado from the June 23 to Aug. 4 festival:

The Bravo! Vail Music Festival (Bravo! Vail) announced today that its 35^th annual summer Festival from June 23-August 4, 2022, brought in $26.2 million in direct economic impact to Eagle County and the state of Colorado. 

This $26.2 economic figure reflects $1.2 million in sales tax revenue for all Eagle County towns, with the remaining $25 million directly benefitting local businesses, according to a recent report by Intercept Insights, a marketing research firm out of Avon, CO. The research is based on the spending of 529 musicians and 50,560 concert attendees during the Festival. 

“This data underscores Bravo! Vail’s significance as a key economic driver in Eagle County,” said Caitlin Murray, Executive Director of Bravo! Vail. “Paired with our international reputation as one of the world’s top classical music festivals, Bravo! Vail elevates Vail and Eagle County as a premier cultural tourism destination.”

In the Town of Vail alone, Bravo! Vail generated more than $14.6 million in direct economic impact. This included $602,000 in sales tax; $5 million spent on food and beverage; and $7.1 million spent on lodging, constituting approximately 18,300 rooms. Eighty-nine percent of attendees who live outside Vail said they came specifically for the Festival. 

In addition to Bravo! Vail’s direct economic impact in Eagle County, the Festival also provided 34 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 $26.2 million economic impact figure is a significant increase from the $21 million generated by Bravo! Vail’s pre-pandemic 2019 Festival, showing strong economic growth for both the organization and the county. 

35^th Annual Bravo! Vail Music Festival Numbers: 

Number of Events
• Total: 69
• Paid: 35
• Free: 34

Attendance
• Total: 50,560
• Participating Musicians: 529

Colorado’s Eagle County
• Direct Economic Impact: $26.2 million
• Tax Revenue: $1.2 million

Colorado’s Town of Vail
• Direct Economic Impact: $14.6 million
• Tax Revenue: $602,000
• Lodging: $7.1 million (18,300 rooms)
• Food and Beverage: $5 million