As covid policies come to a close, Live entertainment organizations are gearing up to bring in crowds for the upcoming summer. Coachella 2022 was one leading indicator for the live entertainment outlook as the empire polo grounds were filled with eager concertgoers. Similarly, Forecastle is one music festival looking to get ahead this year and establish itself as a yearly tradition.
Hosted in Louisville, Kentucky, the venue expects to see around 75,000 festivalgoers this year, with projections to rake in about seven million dollars. Economic development officials hope to use this three-day event to persuade young adults to move into the city and establish lives in the greater Louisville area. “That’s especially important right now, given the workforce shortages that we see across the community,” Sarah Davasher-Wisdom, Greater Louisville Inc (GLI) President, said. “And that’s why we partner with local businesses, events, and a multitude of brands in order to showcase our city as one of the top places to live.”
The lineup includes notable names like Tyler the Creator, Clairo, Maxo Kream, Tame impala, and the 100 Gecs appealing to music tastes across the spectrum. As part of the initiative for the city to appeal to a younger audience, GLI’s “Live In Lou” campaign will be sharing images of the Forecastle fun on social media platforms, promoting an image of the city that appeals to young workers. “We’ve collaborated on ticket giveaways, and we’ve promoted the event to about 50,000 of our followers,” Davasher-Wisdom said. “And that’s very important, because as those followers see those images, they begin to see that Louisville is a great place to live.”
A strategic change occurred when the Forecastle Festival decided to move its traditional dates from July to the Memorial Day weekend this year, increasing sales for downtown hotels and restaurants three weeks after the Kentucky Derby. “Events like Forecastle really give people their first taste of the city,” Louisville Tourism Communication VP Stacey Yates said. “They get here, kick the tires, go on a bourbon distillery tour, and the next thing, they’re moving to bourbon city.”