The 10-day International Buskers Festival in downtown Victoria in July delivered a total economic impact of $3 million, said a study commissioned by Tourism Victoria.
Direct effects accounted for $1.8 million while indirect and induced impacts were calculated at a total of $1.2 million, said the August report by Brentwood Bay-based Economic Planning Group, which was released Tuesday.
Participants spent $2.1 million, the report said. The bulk of the spending, at $1.9 million, was by spectators and most of that was by outof-town visitors.
The second-annual event featured outdoor performance areas, 20 "busk-stop" acts and an evening comedy cabaret. Hundreds of shows were performed by local and international buskers.
Chalk artists followed the buskers. The Victoria International Chalk Art Festival ran last week.
It was the second downtown festival staged by John Vickers, whose goal is to attract people to downtown. He is now developing a kite festival, possibly for next June.
