One Event. $39.3 Million in Regional Impact. What Holyoke’s St. Patrick’s Celebrations Tell Us About the Western Massachusetts Economy

Economic activity does not stop at a city or town line.

A visitor coming to Holyoke for the St. Patrick’s Parade may stay at a hotel elsewhere in the region, eat at a restaurant in another community, shop locally, visit another attraction and discover another reason to return to Western Massachusetts.

Multiply that activity by hundreds of thousands of people and the regional impact becomes significant.

A new economic impact study conducted by Cambridge Econometrics and commissioned by the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke provides a powerful example.

The Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade, Road Race and related celebrations generate an estimated $39.3 million in total economic output across Hampden and Hampshire Counties, supporting 275 jobs, $10.6 million in local wages and $20.5 million in value added.

Visitors to the Parade and Road Race alone spend more than $23.2 million throughout the region. Combined with approximately $470,000 in spending by regional St. Patrick’s committees, the events account for approximately $23.7 million in direct regional spending.

And there is another important number.

After accounting for spending that likely would have occurred in the region regardless of the celebrations, Cambridge Econometrics estimates $23.4 million in net new sales, supporting 166 jobs, $6.5 million in wages and $12.5 million in value added.

The Impact Extends Beyond Holyoke

The annual Parade attracts approximately 350,000 spectators, including an estimated 88,000 visitors from outside Hampden and Hampshire Counties. The Road Race draws approximately 56,000 participants and spectators, including another 9,000 visitors from outside the region.

Those visitors support businesses across multiple sectors, including food and beverage, lodging, retail, transportation and entertainment. Parade visitors account for more than $19 million in direct spending, while Road Race visitors contribute nearly $4 million.

The study also examined the experience of individual Western Massachusetts businesses.

• Log Cabin, Delaney House and D. Hotel reported a 30% increase in overall business revenue surrounding the events, with lodging revenue increasing closer to 50%.
• Brennan’s Place in Downtown Holyoke reported roughly 10 times its typical sales during St. Patrick’s Weekend.
• Rumbleseat Bar & Grille in Chicopee reported that Road Race-related activity more than doubles daily sales and supports expanded staffing.
• Bean Restaurant Group locations throughout the region experience an approximately 11% increase in sales during event week, along with additional revenue from food trucks and event programming.
• Quality Beverage reported increased regional demand and opportunities for brand visibility, product launches and market positioning.

Source: Cambridge Econometrics economic impact study commissioned by the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke.

A Connected Regional Economy

For the Western Mass Economic Development Council, the findings reinforce an important principle: the economies of our cities and towns are deeply connected.

A successful event in one community can create customers for businesses in another. A visitor drawn here for one experience can discover restaurants, hotels, cultural institutions, outdoor recreation and communities throughout Western Massachusetts.

The opportunity is not simply to attract people to individual destinations. It is to better connect the assets we already have so that success in one part of Western Massachusetts creates opportunities throughout the region.

“Events like the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade and Road Race demonstrate how connected our regional economy really is. They bring people into our communities, support businesses and jobs, and create the kind of pride and visibility that benefits Western Massachusetts well beyond a single weekend.”

Aaron Vega
President & CEO, Western Mass Economic Development Council

Economic Impact Powered by Community

Behind those economic numbers is also a significant community effort.

Approximately 200 volunteers contribute more than 32,000 hours each year planning and executing the Parade, Road Race and related events. Cambridge Econometrics estimates the value of that volunteer labor at approximately $970,000 if performed by paid workers.

The celebrations also generate an estimated $2.3 million in annual tax revenue for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and approximately $86,000 for the City of Holyoke.

Turning Individual Success Into Regional Opportunity

The study reinforces something worth recognizing across Western Massachusetts.

Our region already has major events, institutions, businesses, attractions and traditions capable of drawing people from well beyond our borders.

The more effectively we connect those assets, share their stories and help visitors experience more of the region, the more opportunity we create for businesses and communities throughout Western Massachusetts.

The Holyoke St. Patrick’s celebrations provide a powerful example.

One event. Many businesses and communities benefiting. One interconnected Western Massachusetts economy.

The Western Mass Economic Development Council congratulates the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke, its volunteers, sponsors, businesses and community partners whose work makes this regional impact possible.