Key findings
A total of 612 questionnaires were completed and used for data analysis.
Economic impact: the 2023 festival generated $4.5 million in economic activity.
- Includes $1.6 million generated in labor income
- 72 jobs were supported
Vendors: there were 1,200 vendor employees and volunteers.
- In total, 39 vendors responded to the pre-event survey and 29 vendors responded to the in-festival survey.
Attendees: a total of 35,507 attendees were at the festival.
- Survey respondents were predominantly male (62.9%) and Asian/Asian American (93.6%).
- Of the attendees, 88.6% had attended the festival in previous years; 53.9% were present on both July 1 and July 2, 2023, with an average age of 39.
- Analysis of zip codes indicated the majority lived in the Metro area, with 42.6% from Ramsey County.
- The average per-person spending totaled $79.40, resulting in a daily expenditure of $317.60 for a family of four.
- $67 was the average daily spending per person for daytime-only visitors
- $111.50 was the average daily spending per person for overnight-only visitors
- During the festival visit, 28.5% stayed overnight, with 46.3% choosing accommodation in the homes of family or friends.
- Roughly 90.1% used personal vehicles, mainly parking on the street (17%), Minnesota State Fairgrounds (14.5%), Como Park parking lot (2.8%), or by getting dropped off (2%).
- The top two enjoyable attributes of the festival were the sports area (69.4%) and food/beverages (58.3%).
- Overall, 84.9% of respondents were either satisfied or very satisfied with the festival.
About this report
Festivals and events play an integral role in preserving and celebrating shared experiences, traditions, identities, and local sense of place, impacting both the community and visitors (Nicholson & Pearce, 2001). The Hmong International Freedom Festival in St. Paul, Minnesota, exemplifies this sentiment, marking its 41st year in 2023.
The festival honors Hmong traditions and culture through food, sports, and performances. To enhance future planning and community benefit, festival organizers (United Hmong Family) sought to better understand attendees and vendors, document baseline visitor/vendor data, and evaluate the event’s economic impact.
In summer 2023, University of Minnesota Extension was contracted to profile attendees at the 2023 Hmong International Freedom Festival and to estimate the festival’s economic value.
Key focus areas included:
- Attendee demographics
- Information sources
- Satisfaction levels
- Transportation
- Primary reasons for attendance
- Most enjoyable festival aspects
- Spending patterns
- Lodging choices
- Vendor satisfaction
- Foot traffic
- Revenues
- Suggestions for improvement
Reviewed in 2024