The Firefly Music Festival will return next year, following rave reviews locally and nationally. Dates are June 21st through 23rd. The organization’s website began offering the pre-sale of tickets late this month.
According to the site, three-day tickets costing $148 remain available. Other types of tickets, including $1,000-plus VIP passes will become available as the music line-up is announced.
The festival was held in a picnic grove area near the Dover Downs racing complex and despite drizzly conditions at various times, it was widely reported that musicians and crowds showed their enthusiasm throughout the event. The national music media (Billboard, Rolling Stone etc.) also took note of the event, with a number of favorable stories.
Newsworks.org, citing figures from the Delaware Tourism Office, estimated that the event pumped $12.6 million into the local economy. That’s only a fraction of the estimated $60 million or so that comes in from a NASCAR weekend, but did provide a big boost to the Dover-area economy. The estimate is based on a story from WDDE.com, the web operation of a public radio station slated to go on the air later this year.
Firefly was able to field a strong, varied line-up that included Black Keys, John Legend, Jack White and Modest Mouse.The June date also avoids any conflicts with the Delaware State Fair, which ran at the same time as Firefly.
