UD's economics department conducted the first official study of Dover's Firefly Music Festival, finding that it contributed $68 million to the regional economy.

Firefly research

UD students and faculty research Firefly, discover strong economic impact

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8:05 a.m., Jan. 27, 2015--University of Delaware faculty and students conducted research at Dover’s Firefly Music Festival this summer, producing the first official study of the festival’s economic impact.

The Delaware Economic Development Office worked with the Center for Applied Business and Economic Research (CABER) in UD’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics to survey festival attendees in person and online.

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The study found that Firefly’s 80,000 attendees contributed $68 million to the regional economy. The festival also created 579 “full-time equivalent” jobs, with pay from those jobs adding an additional $23 million.

William Latham, CABER director and associate professor of economics, called these findings “larger than we had anticipated.”

“Delaware gets a lot of benefits, both economic and promotional,” Latham said. “So the state should accommodate and support this kind of activity.”

Latham said that the center was chosen because of its extensive experience in assessing the economic impacts of events. Recent projects have included calculating impacts of track and rowing events in Philadelphia.

The Firefly study also presented a unique research opportunity for UD students. 

Junior economics major Jared Wasilefsky was one of a team of six UD student researchers who attended Firefly with all-access passes in order to survey festivalgoers.

The team used iPads to survey festivalgoers quickly, usually answering all of its questions in less than two minutes. Questions covered topics like group size, travel distance, and total expenditures on fast food, groceries and more.

Wasilefsky has been working on economics research with CABER since his freshman year at UD. His jobs have ranged from office-based work to more hands-on projects like the Firefly study.

“You never know where research is going to take you,” Wasilefsky said.

“It’s really cool and interesting to be that person out there getting the data for these statistics,” he continued. “Anything and everything that you could possibly think of was going on. You get to experience a lot.”

Wasilefsky said that almost all of the dozens of people he spoke to were happy to help a UD student with research.

 “People were really nice,” he said. “You just have to have a smile on your face and go for it.”

The team learned what Wasilefsky called “tricks of the trade,” like surveying festivalgoers while they waited in line at a cell-phone charging station.

“You really don’t get that understanding and perspective until you’re in the field and getting the data,” he said. He calls this, “learning by doing.”

To other students who are interested in research, Wasilefsky points out that his research career began by simply asking a professor what steps he should take to pursue research.

“Definitely reach out to professors,” he said. “Make that great first impression because that sets you up for everything else. Just asking that question got me invited to begin research my freshman year.”

“So don’t hesitate,” he continued. “Be confident. Ask early in the beginning. Make those connections.”

Latham agreed with this advice, telling students to, “Get involved in projects and transform your classroom learning into professional, career-relevant experience.”

Article by Sunny Rosen

Photo courtesy of Red Frog Events

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