Pittsburgh Black Music Festival Returns July 13-15
Three-day event generated $1.35 million in spending in 2022
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Black Music Festival, a celebration of the history and heritage of Black music in America, returns to Point State Park July 13-15, 2023, and will bring with it significant economic impact for the city. Last year’s three-day event drew an estimated 22,000 attendees to Point State Park and Downtown Pittsburgh and generated an estimated $1.35 million in direct spend by residents and out-of-town visitors.
According to newly completed research by VisitPITTSBURGH, the Festival, organized by William Marshall and Stop The Violence Pittsburgh, drew an audience that was 67% local and 37% visitors, with the majority of out-of-towners hailing from cities including Cleveland; Philadelphia; New York; Washington, D.C.; Columbus and Chicago.
Download: 2022 Black Music Festival Summary
Though the annual festival is free, the event created a flow of customers for restaurants, businesses, hotels, transportation and other area attractions over the run of the event. Estimated spending by category included: Food and Beverage: $308,000; Lodging: $655,000; Shopping: $114,000, Transportation: $80,000 and Recreation and Activities: $105,000.
“In addition to these strong returns, our internal small business economic impact survey, prepared and completed by Bynums Marketing and Communication, LLC, showed that 75 local businesses participated in the 2022 Black Music Festival, generating $351,330,” said organizer William Marshall. “Not only is the Pittsburgh Black Music Festival a showcase of artistry and talent and a joyous celebration of the City of Pittsburgh’s remarkable Black music legacy, it also is making a powerful contribution to the economic health and vitality of our community.
“We appreciate the partnership of VisitPITTSBURGH in helping us to track and measure the impact of this event beyond the experience that our audiences enjoy and for investing in our vision.”
While plans for the 2023 Festival are still being finalized, Marshall notes that each of the three days will feature special musical tributes:
- Thursday, July 13 – Jazz Tribute Day
- Friday, July 14 – Gospel Tribute Day
- Saturday, July 15 – RnB-Soul Tribute Day
Recognizing the potential of the event to drive economic impact, in 2022, VisitPITTSBURGH awarded the Black Music Festival the first sponsorship from its then newly formed Emerging Festivals & Cultural Events Fund.
“We are honored to be a part of the team supporting the Pittsburgh Black Music Festival and we look forward to working with them in the continued growth and promotion of this important cultural event,” says VisitPITTSBURGH President & CEO Jerad Bachar.
Learn more about the Pittsburgh Black Music Festival at stoptheviolencepgh.com.