Record breaking year for wine festival
LAKEGEORGE, N.Y. » Organizers of the 2018 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival said that they were pleased to a set a new record for number of tickets sold.
Officials said the festival set a new record with 6,376 tickets sold and an estimated $1.87 Million economic impact on the Greater Lake George Region.
The fourth- annual, fam-
ily-friendly wine and food spectacular in June, despite a weekend filled with rain, sold 8 percent more tickets than last year.
Officials said that counting festival vendors and volunteers, 6,393 passed through the gates over the course of the festival’s two days, shattering the previous attendance record for Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in the Village of Lake George.
“Our festival has grown every year and we are thrilled that so many people came to support it and enjoyed some of the best wines, craft beverages and foods New York has to offer,” said Sasha Pardy, festival owner and co- owner of the Adirondack Winery ( Presenting Sponsor) in Lake George. “I am so
proud of the impact this event has on the economy of the Lake George region and am looking forward to doing it bigger and better yet again next year!”
A post-festival attendee survey showed the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival brings an important demographic to the Lake George Region. Organizers said the event is particularly popular with millennials. An estimated 56 percent of attendees at this year’s festival were in their 20s and 30s and nearly 60 percent of attendees have a household income in excess of $75,000.
Officials said of the 6,393 total attendees, 93 percent either planned their trip to Lake George specifically to attend the festival or chose their dates based on when the festival occurred. Also important of note is that the festival brings new people – 20 percent of attendees had either never been
to Lake George or hadn’t been back in 5+ years prior to their festival visit.
Festival attendees didn’t just spend money at the festival. While they were in town, organizers said 80 percent of attendees either shopped at local stores, visited local attractions, or took part in activities in the region, while 100 percent said they ate or drank at a local restaurant or bar while they were in town.
Officials said the festival also had a significant impact on the lodging industry in the Greater Lake George Region. The attendee survey found that 56 percent of ticketholders stayed one to 14 nights at an area lodging property, generating nearly 8,000 room nights. People drove a long way to attend the festival, with attendees traveling from 27 states and 61 percent being from outside the local region.
This year’s Adirondack
Wine & Food Festival featured more than 90 of the finest New York state wine producers, craft beverage makers, artisan food vendors, food trucks and more. New attractions included a new VIP Ticket experience which gave ticket holders early access to the festival and a goodie bag.
It also raised thousands of dollars for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks, which received a portion of ticket sales revenue, as well as funds generated from the sale of raffle baskets including items donated by vendors, the sale of Lake George Premium Brand water bottles, and “Drink Local, Eat Local, Think Local” festival T-shirts and other festival swag.
The festival also featured Finger Lakes Celebrity Chef William Cornelius under the popular Culinary Tent. He conducted hourly culinary demonstrations us-
ing his own hand- crafted sauces, as well as foods and craft beverages from festival vendors. Also a new feature this year, local bartenders performed cocktail demonstrations under this tent utilizing ingredients from festival vendors.
The 2018 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival was held Saturday, June 23, and Sunday, June 24, at Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in the Village of Lake George. The At- Gate ticket price was $35 and included a souvenir wine glass for wine tasting, complimentary program and festival bag.
Attendee Metrics:
• Total Tickets Sold: 6,376 | Total Attendance: 6,393
• Gender Breakdown: 76.6percent Female | 23 percent Male | 0.4 percent Other
• Attendee Age: 20s: 31 percent | 30s: 25 percent | 40s: 19 percent | 50s: 15 per-
cent | 60s+ 10 percent
* Children were not counted or surveyed.
• Attendee Location: 27 States | 1 hr or less away 39 percent | 1hr+ to 4 hrs 53 percent | 4+ hrs 8 percent Key Survey Results
• 93 percent Planned their trip to Lake George specifically to attend the festival.
• 20 percent Had never been to Lake George or hadn’t been back in 5+ years.
• 56 percent Stayed 1-14 nights in the region.
• 7,966 Total hotel room nights generated.
• 80 percent Shopped and/or visited local attractions.
• 100 percent Ate or drank at a local bar or restaurant.
• 98.6 percent Would attend the 2019 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival.
• 59.4percent Had a household i ncome of $75,000 or greater.