Businesses to Forecastle visitors: Come for the music, stay for the jobs

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Around 75,000 music fans and a seven million dollar tourism impact are just the beginning of the good things expected from Louisville’s Forecastle music festival.

Economic development officials hope to use the event to persuade young adults to move to the city and get jobs.

“That’s especially important right now, given the workforce shortages that we see across the community,” Sarah Davasher-Wisdom, Greater Louisville Inc (GLI) President said. “And that’s why we partner with local businesses, events and a multitude of brands in order to showcase our city as one of the top places to live.”

GLI’s “Live In Lou” campaign will be sharing images of the Forecastle fun on social media, promoting an image of the city that appeals to young workers.

“We’ve collaborated on ticket giveaways and we’ve promoted the event to about 50,000 of our followers,” Davasher-Wisdom said. “And that’s very important, because as those followers see those images, they begin to see that Louisville is a great place to live.”

Forecastle Festival moved its traditional dates up from July to the Memorial Day weekend this year, producing a bump for downtown hotels and restaurants just three weeks after Derby.

“Events like Forecastle really give people their first taste of a city,” Louisville Tourism Communication VP Stacey Yates said. “They get here, kick the tires, go on a bourbon distillery tour and the next thing, they’re moving to bourbon city.”

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