Economic Impact: Another Nordic Fest Strength

In 1967, the Nordic Fest founders estimated through research that each traveler spent $12 per day in the community being visited. In 2014, those estimates range from $55-$110 per person per day. 

Nordic Fest continues to create a significant direct spending and economic impact on the Decorah area, especially when multiplied over five decades. A largely untold story of Nordic Fest is its significant nonprofit impact, a topic that will be covered in future blog posts.

The general economic impact of Nordic Fest was not immediately clear to everyone in Decorah. The late Gary Svenson recalled such an example during a 1997 interview:

"Vernon Finholt approached me after the first couple of Nordic Fests. He ran Ben Bear Clothing Store at the time. Vernon was a good friend of mine. I worked for him over the years. He said, 'Your Fest is costing me money.'

He showed me figures about how' his sales during Nordic Fest days were way down as compared with those same days in previous years. 

He was surprised when I told him to go back and compare his sales in the weeks following Nordic Fest with previous years. They were way up because of things like the waitress who made extra tip money that weekend could now afford to buy her husband two shirts instead of one. The secondary spending is unbelievable!" 

Do you have an economic impact of Nordic Fest story? Submit it to nordic fest 50 at gmail dot come.