Heritage Foundation’s Three 2021 Festivals Generate $8.25 Million In Local Economic Impact
An Estimated 253,000 Attend Main Street Festival, PumpkinFest™ and Dickens of a Christmas
FRANKLIN, TN (March 2, 2022) – The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County and the Downtown Franklin Association are pleased to announce the results of a year-long economic impact study conducted during Main Street Festival, PumpkinFest™ and Dickens of a Christmas. Over the course of four total festival days in 2021, an estimated 253,000 attendees generated $747,000 in estimated tax revenue and spent $8,258,000 on shopping, dining, entertainment and transportation within the region.
Despite the significant economic impact of the year’s festivals, 2021 did not permit the typical scenario for the festivals. Main Street Festival, traditionally held in April, was postponed to July 17 and 18 due to public health concerns with the pandemic. Additionally, inclement weather caused the cancellation of one day of Dickens of a Christmas, which is normally a two-day festival.
“The original intent of these festivals, starting in 1984 with the Main Street Festival, was to attract visitors to downtown Franklin, shine a spotlight on its local merchants, and bring the community together for seasonal celebrations,” stated Bari Beasley, President & CEO of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County. “While the cultural impact of these festivals is unmeasurable, we are excited that the research tangibly attests to this annual boon to our economy.”
The study was conducted by Franklin-based Chandlerthinks, a place branding, strategic planning and destination research firm. Research was done via one-on-one interviews at each festival and followed-up by online surveys.
“The overall economic impact of the 2021 festivals in downtown Franklin are impressive,” stated Greg Fuson, Director of Research and Community Engagement for Chandlerthinks. “What makes them even more impressive is the fact the inclement weather hampered both PumpkinFest and Dickens of a Christmas. These studies show that coming out of Covid, people were ready to get out and spend money.”
Dates for the 2022 festivals are: April 23-24, 2022 (38th Annual Main Street Festival), October 29, 2022 (37th Annual PumpkinFest™), and December 10-11, 2022 (37th Annual Dickens of a Christmas).
For more festival information, visit https://events.WilliamsonHeritage.org.
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ABOUT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Since 1967, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County has been dedicated to preserving Williamson County’s architectural, geographic and cultural heritage as well as promoting the ongoing revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation. Notable projects include The Franklin Theatre, Roper’s Knob, parts of the Franklin battlefield and the Old, Old Jail. Events and festivals produced by the Heritage Foundation such as Main Street Festival, the Heritage Ball, Pumpkinfest and Dickens of a Christmas bring hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors to downtown Franklin each year. The Heritage Foundation owns and operates The Franklin Theatre, the Downtown Franklin Association, and the organization’s newest division and current restoration project, Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens. For more information about the Heritage Foundation, visit www.williamsonheritage.org.
