St. Augustine city officials will review a proposal to move the popular Sing Out Loud Festival’s headliner weekend to mid-May, while keeping the festival’s September schedule intact.
The expansion aims to support tourism during a slower time of year, ease weather concerns, and provide greater flexibility for event planning, according to Dianya Markovits, Director of Public Relations & Partnerships at SJC Cultural Events.
The Francis Field weekend usually draws about 25,000 attendees and generates roughly $9 million in economic impact, Markovits said in a memo to City Commissioners.
Almost 88 percent of ticket buyers come from outside St. Johns County, including visitors from all 50 states and 12 countries, she said in a memo.
Last year, the festival raised more than $130,000 for land conservation, Markovits said.
While an earlier proposal suggested moving the weekend to February, organizers now recommend mid-May for the headliner weekend.
The new timing, according to Markovits, offers better odds for temperate weather, improves artist availability, and avoids conflicts with other events.
Adding a May weekend could also help local businesses by adding a major tourist attraction during a slower period.
The rest of the Sing Out Loud Festival, including the city’s “Month of Music” in September, would continue as is with local artist showcases, the St. Augustine Songwriters Festival, a record fair, music panels, and other events across several venues.
Meanwhile, according to a letter to the St. Augustine City Commission dated February 11, SJC Cultural Events CEO Gabe Pellicer asked the board for a five-year extension of the license agreement with the city to produce the festival.
Pellicer wrote that the extension “would provide the stability and planning horizon necessary to effectively steward the Sing Out Loud Festival at St. Francis Field.”
The City Commission will review the parallel proposals at its next meeting on Monday.
