Duncan Hines Days Boosts Bowling Green’s Economy with Nearly $3 Million in Revenue

Bowling Green, Ky – Almost a month after the thrilling celebration of Duncan Hines Days, officials have concluded their economic impact assessment. The week-long event designed to honor the legacy of Duncan Hines, a prominent figure in Bowling Green history, attracted an impressive 17,400 attendees from 18 states. The total expenditure by the visitors throughout the celebration amounted to approximately $2.9 million, injecting a significant revenue boost into the local economy.

— Telia Butler, City of Bowling Green Downtown Development Coordinator

Impressive Attendance Numbers Despite Fewer Events

According to Telia Butler, the downtown development coordinator for the Bowling Green city, the most spectacular numbers of attendance were registered on Friday and Saturday, with major downtown events including a car show, a walking parade, and an ice cream social leading into the Eats and Beats Music Festival. The total concert attendance was estimated to be between 14,000 and 15,000 people.

Despite the reduced number of events this year, those that happened pulled sizeable crowds. Butler highlighted the success of the pickleball social as well as the Duncan Hines Day at Russell Sims Waterpark, both drawing almost 100 and over 1,000 people, respectively.

Data Collection and Impact Assessment

A company called Placer.ai, which assesses cellphone device location data, aided the officials in interpreting these attendance numbers. The company set up a field surrounding Fountain Square, Circus Square, and the SOKY marketplace – the core event venues. This allowed officials to track how many devices were in the area, where they originated, and where they were heading to after leaving the event spots.

The officials were particularly interested in whether the visitors came from hotels or local residences, as well as whether they spent money in other parts of Bowling Green.

Such insights, Butler said, enable the city to better understand event attendees and their behavior, particularly how they interact with and contribute to the local economy.

Looking Ahead

With the enormous success of this year’s event, city officials are already laying plans for the forthcoming Duncan Hines Days slated for June 2-8, 2025.