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After being named one of the best Halloween venues in the world and the best in America, the 2015 Suwannee Hulaween brought even better news to all of North Florida and parts of South Georgia – its economic impact in local spending was about $10 million, according to Suwannee County Economic Development Director Dr. Alvin B. Jackson Jr.

And, Jackson said, with the concert attracting tens of thousands of guests over the duration of the event to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, the show’s economic impact on North Florida and Live Oak helped provide an average of 100 local jobs per year with an employment high during the four-day festival of approximately 1,500 jobs.

The String Cheese Incident’s Suwannee Hulaween drew music lovers from all over the nation and the world who began arriving on Sunday, Oct. 25, before the event actually began on Thursday, Oct. 30, lasting through Sunday evening, Nov. 1.

Anticipating a large number of vehicles, the show’s promoters developed a shuttle program from Jacksonville Airport to the SOSMP.

“The shuttle program was a great success,” explained the SOSMP’s Paul Levine. “We were very pleased with the guest response to the shuttle addition to the show this year.” 

Hulaween has won numerous awards in its first three years and brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to Suwannee County. These visitors have spent money locally at Wal-Mart, local restaurants, gas stations, hotels, camping facilities, SOSMP and multiple other businesses in Suwannee County as well as Madison and Hamilton county, Columbia County and into South Georgia in the Valdosta area, according to SOSMP President/CEO James Cornett.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s Suwannee Hulaween,” Cornett said. “Our partners are happy, the guests were happy, and our team worked incredibly well together. This fall was a great show season.”

Jackson went on to say that direct economic impact to the entire area is about $5 million, indirect about $342,000 and induced impact about $783,386 which equals about $6 million in output/sales. Jackson said if you calculate the average spending of each person over the four-day event at $60 per day, the festival would equal $3.6 million per capita expenditure overall infusion into the county and into the region at about $10 million or more.

“This is real economic development (cash in hand for Suwannee County),” Jackson notes.

The SOSMP, a large family campground and music park, hosts an average of eight festivals a year including Old Tyme Farm Days, Suwannee Lights, Teddy Mac’s Christmas Show, New Year’s Eve Celebration, Santa Jam, Three Country Showdown preliminary competitions and one final along with the statewide final competition and the Southeastern final competition, Valentine’s events, holiday events throughout the year, fireworks and Labor day celebration, Elvis I’ll Remember You competition, Suwannee River Jam Auditions, wedding expo, Kids Music Camps, Camping World show and sale, along with AURA Music Festival, SpringFest Music Festival, Wanee Music Festival, the 25th Anniversary Suwannee River Jam coming up in 2016, Magnolia Fest Music Festival, Roosevelt Collier Music events and Suwannee Hulaween plus music four nights each week that include live bands on Friday and Saturday night and karaoke with Teddy Mac Elvis Tuesday and Thursday. That is in addition to thousands of campers who spend a night, week or a month at the SOSMP every year enjoying Florida weather. Some visitors purchase a cabin and spend many happy times at SOSMP with family and friends over many years. And, more events are in the planning stages today.

The SOSMP employees live, work and serve in Suwannee and surrounding counties.

“We have a great team,” Cornett explained. “Without our dedicated staff, community partners and public and safety professionals, we would not have been able to accommodate a crowd of this size.  We are grateful for everyone who helped to make Suwannee Hulaween a success this year.”

The SOSMP is located 4.5 miles south of Interstate 75 and 4.5 miles north of Interstate 10 at 3076 95^th Drive off US 129 at the beautiful Suwannee River. If you need more information about the SOSMP, please call the SOSMP at 386-364-1683, email spirit@musicliveshere.comor go to www.musicliveshere.com.