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Economic Impact Projected For Music Festival At $107 Million

The Cincinnati Music Festival is expectiung 83,000 people this year. Eighty-percent will be from out of town.
Ann Thompson
/
WVXU
The Cincinnati Music Festival is expectiung 83,000 people this year. Eighty-percent will be from out of town.

The Cincinnati Music Festival, now in its 56th year, is expected to pump millions of dollars into the city's economy this weekend. The Cincinnati USA Visitor's & Convention Bureau estimates the 83,000 attendees, 80 percent of whom are from out of town, will spend $107 million.

The series of concerts at Paul Brown Stadium, features Charlie Wilson and Jill Scott and a dozen other performers over three days. A complete line-up is here.

On Thursday producer Joe Santangelo announced a change. He said Fantasia was ill and will be replaced by Tamar Braxton. "It's our responsibility to pull out every stop that we can because we want to give the people a really good show," he said.

Crews worked throughout the day to get everything in place. A 40-foot semi tractor-trailer filled with stages and lights had to be unloaded.

On Thursday crews were setting up for MC Lyte and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Credit Ann Thompson / WVXU
/
WVXU
On Thursday crews were setting up for MC Lyte and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

The Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau commissioned  the 2018 economic impact study. The $107.5 million dollars the City expects attendees to spend is the equivalent of hosting one-and-a-half Major League Baseball All Star Games and seven Flying Pig Marathon weekends.

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With more than 30 years of journalism experience in the Greater Cincinnati market, Ann Thompson brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting. She has reported for WKRC, WCKY, WHIO-TV, Metro Networks and CBS/ABC Radio. Her work has been recognized by the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2019 and 2011 A-P named her “Best Reporter” for large market radio in Ohio. She has won awards from the Association of Women in Communications and the Alliance for Women in Media. Ann reports regularly on science and technology in Focus on Technology.