Quilt show measures its economic impact

The first-ever survey of Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show attendees was conducted this summer by Central Oregon Research Services to better understand their experience and the economic impact of their visit.

A presentation of the full survey results will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, October 8, at Sisters City Hall, 520 E. Cascade Ave. Kreg Lindberg of Central Oregon Research Services will make a presentation and entertain questions. Refreshments will be served.

The survey was commissioned by the Oregon Arts Commission (OAC), as part of a grant received by Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.

Five hundred and fifty-three respondents completed the survey. Almost all (97 percent) were female. Visitor demographics skewed toward the higher ages and income brackets. Almost half fall into the 65-to-74 age range, but another half fall into the 25-to-44 age range. This suggests that quilting, or at least interest in the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, may have skipped a generation.

Many attendees (65 percent) attended multiple events during the week, including Quilters Affair classes, the musical "Quilters," and the Quilt Show on Saturday. Satisfaction with the Saturday Quilt Show was high, with 84 percent of attendees being very satisfied.

More than half the attendees were out-of-state visitors, and almost all (96 percent) have their permanent residence outside the Sisters area.

Expenditure by these visitors generates substantial economic benefits in the Sisters area. According to the survey team, average expenditure in the Sisters area is $87 per person per day, for a total expenditure of $2,675,861.

A quarter of this expenditure was for shopping other than food and drink, and another quarter for lodging. Further amounts were spent on lodging in Bend, Redmond, and surrounding communities. Multiplier analysis indicates that this expenditure generated $2.8 million of sales in the region and $1 million in labor income. In turn, this income generated the equivalent of 41 jobs.

These amounts represent a significant contribution to small communities such as Sisters, and they are especially impressive in the context of an event whose main attendance occurs on one day, according to the survey's executive summary.

Survey results will be used to help the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show do a better job of targeting their advertising spending, and to aid in applying for grants that promote economic development, especially in rural areas.

The 35th annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show was held on July 11. The show is held every year on the second Saturday in July, and attracts more than 10,000 visitors to see more than 1,300 quilts from around the U.S. and the world.