Music festivals bring in millions to Sacramento economy ahead of Kings season
SACRAMENTO — Sunday was a busy day for Country Music and basketball fans in the capital city.
The GoldenSky County Music Festival wrapped up its debut in Sacramento after bringing in 25,000 Country Music fans. In addition, the two-day festival brought a welcome boom to the local economy.
Mike Testa, CEO of Visit Sacramento, says that roughly 65% of attendees came from outside of Sacramento.
"So, they're staying in hotels, and they're flying into the market, they're getting here in different ways and renting cars, so the spend is in the millions for sure," he continued.
Last week, the rock-centered Aftershock Festival brought in an estimated $28 million.
But the excitement in the city isn't slowing down anytime soon as the Sacramento Kings have their first game of the regular season on Oct. 19.
To celebrate the start of the season, the Kings hosted Fan Fest at the Golden 1 Center. Hundreds of fans got the chance to watch the Kings during an open practice for free, allowing lifelong fans to express their passion.
Testa says that events like Fan Fest don't bring in tourists as games and concerts do, but they reignite locals' pride in their city.
Next week, the Ironman event comes to Sacramento after being rained out last year, making it the first time the event has been held in the city.