Festival brings music fans, economic boon to Jackson Hole

By Ersin Ozer EBS Staff

JACKSON, Wyo. – During the weekend of March 17-20, thousands of people flocked to the Tetons for the third annual Jackson Hole Rendezvous Spring Festival.

The music festival featured nationally acclaimed bands playing unique concert venues in downtown Jackson’s Town Square, and at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s iconic red tram in Teton Village.

This year’s event also celebrated the resort’s 50th anniversary and the music lineup reflected that milestone with big-name talent on the bill.

On Friday, March 18, a throng of people filled the intersection of Center and Broadway streets in downtown Jackson for a free concert featuring headliner Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. The pavement vibrated with excitement as the band played through the night. Town Square businesses took advantage of the festivities, with private parties for dancing fans held on balconies surrounding the stage.

Zac Brown in his element with a freshly tuned guitar. Brown switched out guitars for nearly every song he played during the show.

The next day raised the bar even further.

More than 15,000 people showed up to Teton Village on Saturday for a ticketed performance by Chris Robinson Brotherhood and headliner Zac Brown Band. The performance by Zac Brown Band included a rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and the echoes of thousands of singing fans could be heard across the village. As Zac Brown said “thank you” to the crowd and turned around to smile at his bandmates on stage, it was clear he was in paradise.

The ultimate goal of Rendezvous Fest is to bring destination guests into Jackson, and it did just that with the highest rate of hotel bookings in history. The community support for the weekend’s events was obvious, as local hotels filled their rooms by co-promoting the multi-day festival.

“[Saturday] was the busiest single night for winter lodging that our valley has ever seen,” said Anna Cole, communications manager for Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. “Everyone was pleased with how the concert was put together and organized. It was a successful venture all around.”

Cold temperatures didn’t stop fans or musicians from having a good time, especially when they were riding to the top of the resort in Jackson Hole’s iconic red tram.

The success of the festival can be attributed in part to cooperation between community stakeholders, including Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, the chamber of commerce, Teton County Sheriff’s Office, and Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board.

This type of cohesion is necessary for a large-scale event, and it was impressive how seemingly the entire town worked together for a common cause.

Jackson’s economy reaped the benefits of this community teamwork through increased hotel stays, tax revenue and tourism.

The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce estimates a $4.8-5.2 million economic impact from the festival, with $240,000 in tax receipts collected and a 23 percent occupancy increase over the same period last year.