The inaugural Ford Arts, Beats & Eats Presented by Citizens Bank had around a $39 million economic benefit to the area its first year in Royal Oak, and the show itself may have made pulled in more than a 10 percent profit above its expenses, according to new data released today.

The Sept. 3-6 festival in downtown Royal Oak drew a total crowd of 423,000, including 172,000 who paid the $3 festival gate admission. That’s well above the 225,000 that turned out for its last year in Pontiac and the 80,000 or so paying guests it would have needed to break even on a previously reported $1.35 million operating budget.

The festival producer also announced today the event raised a record-setting $351,213 for 90 nonprofits and cultural organizations out of its gate admission, beverage proceeds, the Arts Du Jour charity preview event and parking fees, as well as sponsorships and other festival initiatives

Preliminary figures released today by Oakland County today on the festival indicate the total economic impact was around $39 million, and total bar, restaurant and retail revenue of $15,335,000. The average visitor spent $94.30 during the four-day festival, organizers estimated.

“There was definitely a combination of more interest and more attention the admission fee, and the amount of paying people grew as a share of attendance,” said Jonathan Witz, president of Jonathan Witz and Associates Inc. and the festival producer.

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