Lighthouse Blues Festival named among top 100 in Ontario for second year in a row

Festivals and Events Ontario has announced the Top 100 festivals and events in Ontario, and Kincardine's Lighthouse Blues Festival is listed there for the second year in a row.
 

“Our government recognizes festivals and events as important economic drivers and we’re proud to support their efforts to create jobs, grow our economy and celebrate our diverse and vibrant cultural identity,” said tourism minister Michael Coteau. “I am pleased to join with Festival and Events Ontario in celebrating this year’s Top 100 recipients and I congratulate them all for achieving this honour.”

The board of directors of the Lighthouse Blues Festival is pleased to have the event recognized once again.

"These Top 100 recipients represent festivals and events that excel within the industry and being on that list is quite an accomplishment for our community event," said Lighthouse Blues Festival president Rick Clarke. “We are one of four blues festivals in Ontario to win this award - the other three have much larger budgets, so we are truly 'The Best Little Blues Festival in Ontario’.”

 

This recognition by Ontario’s tourism leaders is very important to our volunteers and organizing team, said Clarke. “It’s quite an achievement for a festival only six years old and says a lot about the hard work to build this great community event.” The Kincardine and District Lions Club, the festival's designated charity, provides most of the necessary volunteers for the three-day event, along with the Bruce County Blues Society which is the other recipient of festival proceeds.

 

Clarke attributes the success of the Lighthouse Blues Festival to a number of contributing factors.

"The support of community businesses and organizations as sponsors, and the many volunteers who donate countless hours of labour over the three days, are critical to the event's sustainability," he said. "Programming for the festival, which includes four performance stages, a music workshop tent, a Sunday morning gospel revival, street market, British vintage sports cars, motorcycles, artists' exhibits, a children’s zone, and authentic southern cuisine, has attracted a growing number of fans and families every year.


 

Heather Convay (C), communications officer for Ontario Power Generation (OPG), presents a cheque to Kelly Kirkconnell (L) and Marilyn Clarke of the Lighthouse Blues Festival, representing OPG’s continued support and sponsorship of the event, which runs July 8, 9, 10, 2016, in Lakeside Downtown Kincardine; photo by Rick Clarke
 

“The talent on the ticketed Main Stage, Friday and Saturday nights, as well as those artists performing on stages at the free Saturday afternoon BIA (Business Improvement Area) Street Festival and the Sunday Morning Gospel Revival, is exceptional!”

Clarke said the festival has a growing reputation in the Blues community, booking international and national touring artists who wouldn’t normally be seen in this area. This year will be no exception as one of the acts, Ian Siegal of Great Britain, will be making his Canadian debut at the festival, and Grainne Duffy of Ireland is returning after making her debut in 2015. Another artist appearing on a Canadian stage for her first time is the Betty Fox Band of Florida.

The final line-up is expected to be announced in early April with tickets going on sale in May.

 

The 2016 Lighthouse Blues Festival is held July 8, 9, 10 in downtown Kincardine. A YouTube promotional video is available at http://youtu.be/Yk-3AXg4s1c.

Clarke said the event is a major economic driver for the community and has significant impact on local businesses.

According to the independent consulting firm, Resource Management Consulting of Barrie:
 

• The festival continues to grow - more than 5,600 fans attended the 2015 event, compared to 4,000 in 2014; and 3,200 in 2013
• 36 per cent lived 40 kilometres away, though of those people attending the Main Stage performances, 47 per cent lived greater than 40 kilometres away
• 86 per cent had food/beverages in downtown Kincardine during the festival
• 66 per cent shopped (browse or purchase) in downtown stores during the festival
• 68 per cent of all tourists stayed overnight, of these 83 per cent stayed two or more nights (44 per cent in 2014)
• Of those staying overnight, 41 per cent stayed with friends/relatives; 37 per cent stayed in hotels/motels; 16 per cent in campgrounds; four per cent in rental cottages
• Average spend per tourist party was $389; average spend for local party was $176
• The festival was 75 per cent of the reason for visiting Kincardine (68 per cent in 2014)
• 52 per cent of the tourists came from southwestern Ontario; 14 per cent from central Ontario; 11 per cent from outside Ontario
• Attendees rated the festival 9.0 out of 10 (8.9 in 2014)
• 88 per cent Very Likely to Return (80 per cent in 2014)
• 85 per cent Very Likely to Recommend to Family/Friends (85 per cent in 2014)
• Total expenditures: $115,505 ($93,729 in 2014)