There was a time when the biggest event of the year in Squamish was the Squamish Days Loggers Sports weekend.
The August long weekend festivities are bigger than ever, but the days of it being the biggest event of the year are gone. The Squamish Valley Music Festival (SVMF) has claimed its position as Squamish鈥檚 biggest event. Our town was packed with music fans for the festival. There鈥檚 no doubt all these visitors are going to make a significant mark.
According to an economic impact study done by the SVMF organizers, the festival generated $9.9 million in 2013 in economic spinoff in Squamish. All the festivals combined dating back to the first one in 2010 are estimated to have created a $16 million boost to the Squamish economy.
The study was done using the Festivals and Events Assessment Model created by the Conference Board of Canada. Last year the festival reportedly generated $18.7 million of economic activity in 小蓝视频
Big numbers, for sure, but the music festival has the kind of mass appeal that generates those numbers while loggers sports simply doesn鈥檛 have that level of popularity.
Still, Squamish Days is the perfect warm-up to the music festival and it will be even better once the music festival organizers and the Squamish Days Loggers Sports organizing group offer up some big musical performances during Squamish Days.
Talk of this has been quietly bounced around for more than a year now. It clearly didn鈥檛 come together for this year, but it could happen next year. Bringing at least one significant musical act to Squamish Days makes a huge amount of sense for everyone.
SVMF could set up its infrastructure early and use one or more of the stages for a series of shows during Squamish Days. It makes economic sense for SVMF and it would help to increase interest in Squamish Days. There鈥檚 already precedent for this concept. In 1991, Johnny Cash performed at the loggers sports grounds and Ricky Van Shelton also played the venue in the early 1990s.
Could you imagine Garth Brooks playing here? He鈥檚 promoting a new album due for release in November and he鈥檚 planning to launch an online music store so his fans can finally buy digital versions of his songs. Maybe Squamish will be added to the list of places he plans to play over the course of his three-year world tour.
Or, how about Keith Urban? Miranda Lambert or Carrie Underwood? Lady Antebellum or Dierks Bentley taking to a stage in Squamish?
A major country music event during Squamish Days is a no-brainer that will create a win-win for everyone. Artists who cater to a young demographic might be the best option. Think of acts like Kelly Clarkson and Taylor Swift, who are doing a great job of blurring the lines between country and pop music. Either one of those artists would draw a huge number of young fans to Squamish.
This idea makes a significant amount of sense for a town that has it in its roots to show up in boots.聽
