Yearend Coverage: Borealis Music Festival doesn’t hit right note in first year
The Borealis Music Festival began as an idea to turn Prince Albert into a tourist destination through music and entertainment. With thirty-two bands in three days, bouncy castles for the kids, beer gardens for the big kids, it promised something for everyone.
Unfortunately the festival didn’t go over very well. Just over $316,000 was spent but only roughly $236,000 was recouped, leaving an $80,000 deficit. The projected 15,000 attendees in reality was only 1,200 people in Kinsmen Park over the August long weekend.
If one ever believed in omens, event organizer with P.A. Tourism Abraham Lancaster said before the event began, “You name it, I’m sure we’ve had to deal with it. There are bands that have broken up and all kinds of obstacles.” But regardless of the challenges, Lancaster believed in the Borealis.
Even after the event, and it was proved the concert lost money and was generally not as successful as hoped, P.A. Tourism fully expected to host the festival again the following summer.