For local entertainers such as Rory Raven, a Providence-based mentalist and mindbender, Bright Night Providence provides one crucial element to their business model: exposure.
Raven counts on the New Year’s Eve event each year to put him in front of hundreds of spectators, from whom he gets bookings for about six private shows a year, he said. And as a full-time performer, the word of mouth means a lot.
“Bright Night is much more of an event than seeing [my performance] in a college,” Raven said, adding that he performs mostly at colleges and small theaters. “People take away more. … People are going for a good night.”
The Providence New Year’s Eve celebration this year showcases more than 170 performers: from rock ’n’ roll concerts by local puppeteers from Big Nazo Lab to local magic and comedy acts, choirs and musicians to the New York City-based drum show SLAMM! at the Providence Performing Arts Center.
“What we’re doing is celebrating Rhode Island’s most important cultural assets, its artists,” said Adam Gertsacov, festival director and executive director of the What Cheer Art Company, the artist-run nonprofit that fundraises and organizes Bright Night Providence.
About 95 percent of performers at Bright Night live within a one-hour driving distance from Providence and about 85 percent are from Rhode Island, Gertsacov said.
But Bright Night, scheduled to run from noon to 2 a.m., has an economic impact on the city’s restaurants and hotels as well.
An Americans for the Arts study released earlier this year states that attendees of the city’s arts and cultural events spend an average of $26.58 per person on meals, refreshments, souvenirs, transportation and lodging, not including admission, which for Bright Night is $15 if purchased New Year’s Eve.
Gertsacov said that based on the 7,500 tickets sold last year, attendees contributed about $200,000 to the local economy, not including admission. But that estimate doesn’t factor in the 20,000 people who attend free Bright Night events such as the two fireworks displays.
And though $200,000 is a far cry from the $47 million attendees to the First Night Boston spend on New Year’s Eve, the event has the long-term benefit of attracting people from the region who might be encouraged to visit multiple times when they see what there is to do in the city.
Gertsacov said people from Connecticut, Massachusetts and as far away as Virginia and Oklahoma purchase advance tickets to Bright Night.
Restaurant owners such as Bob Higginbotham, owner of Bravo Brasserie in downtown Providence, said the event “brings a lot of people to the area.”
And because the event attracts many families, the restaurant experiences a good rush around 5 p.m., he said.
Nonprofit venues such as AS220 – which along with hosting a few performers is partnering with Bright Night to produce a dance party from 11 p.m. to 2 p.m. – also benefit from participating, but it’s not necessarily because of the business the event generates.
“On New Year’s Eve, it’s easy for us to succeed,” said Bert Crenca, artist, founder and artistic director of the nonprofit. “What’s great is people get exposed to AS220 that might have never walked into the building. That’s the ultimate benefit.”
The exposure to families also benefits musicians such as Don DiMuccio, drummer and business manager for Black & White, a Cranston-based rock ’n’ roll and blues band that will be performing.
DiMuccio said exposure to a different audience that might not go to nightclubs on a regular basis is good for business. That’s because if they like the band they get added to the mailing list, which means they might make the trip to see future performances.
“That translates into future sales,” he said.
Hotels such as the Renaissance Providence Hotel are also expecting increased sales due to this year’s event, though several hotels experience more volume on New Year’s Eve regardless of Bright Night.
Tom Reil, spokesperson for the 272-room Renaissance, said it sold more than 50 Bright Night packages priced at $259, which include 2 tickets to the event, a bottle of champagne and commemorative champagne glasses, a night’s lodging, a breakfast buffet and 2 p.m. check out.
The Renaissance Providence is also sponsoring the event, because Bright Night aligns with the hotel’s branding as an arts-focused hotel, he said.
By comparison, the 80-room Hotel Providence expects about 10 percent of its rooms to be comprised of Bright Night-goers who purchase a special hotel package for the night, said Julie Balme, assistant general manager for the downtown boutique hotel.
First Night Newport, a similar New Year’s Eve celebration, also impacts the local economy, particularly the Newport Harbor Inn Hotel & Marina, said Charles Roberts, executive director of the festival.
Roberts said the hotel fills with guests and attendees due to a special James Montgomery show staged there as a fundraiser for First Night Newport, which this year showcases 54 performers at 18 venues for events from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Last year, about 3,500 people purchased tickets to the festival, he said. But it is difficult to determine the full economic impact on Newport.
“It’s never been measured that way,” said Keith Stokes, executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce. “Newport is already busy from Christmas through New Year’s. [First Night] is an added benefit.”
Ticket sales and donations fund both First Night Newport’s and Bright Night Providence’s budgets. For First Night’s $70,000 budget this year the breakdown is about 50/50, Roberts said. For Bright Night’s $155,000 budget, the breakdown is about 60 percent ticket sales and 40 percent donations, Gertsacov said.
The Providence Department of Art, Culture and Tourism sponsored this year’s Bright Night, providing $20,000 to the nonprofit’s budget, said Lynne McCormack, director of the city department.
McCormack said the department supports the event because it draws 20,000 people who spend money at restaurants, purchase items from vendors and stay in hotels, but also because of its community-building aspect.
“A city that encourages people to come together and celebrate in a public way is a city that encourages civic engagement and ownership of the destiny of a place,” she said. “It encourages diverse populations to come together and celebrate. This aspect of public celebration is often taken for granted.” •
