The 2013 Firefly festival may be coming to a close, but fans can count on it returning to the First State next year, and possibly, for the next decade.
Dover Motorsports president Mike Tatoian announced a ten-year agreement with Red Frog Events to be the exclusive home of the three day music festival.
“Because of the success of last year, and the anticipated success of this year,” Tatoian said, “rather than negotiating a contract every year we thought it would be best to negotiate some general terms that both sides are favorable to for the next ten years so we don’t have to repeat that same thing over and over again.”
The deal outlining holding the festival on Dover Motorsports’ property over the next decade includes an option for Red Frog to cancel the agreement each year. Details of the deal are still being hammered out, but its expected Red Frog will have to 60 to 90 days from the last day of the previous festival to exercise that option to pull out of the deal.
“We don’t want to have to force them to make a decision the day after the festival,” Tatoian continued. “It’s something that they need to gather information from a business perspective and make a decision within a reasonable amount of time.”
Dates have not yet been announced for a next year’s return to the state capital, but Red Frog officials say they are pleased with the setting at the Woodlands at Dover International Speedway and its ability to grow with the festival . That was was one of the original reasons Red Frog chose Dover.
“When we were looking to put on Firefly, we always had the vision of this being the East Coast premier music experience,” said Firefly director, Greg Bostrom. “That’s been the way we’ve called the experience from Day One. Part of that is growing it and letting a lot of people come experience that, like you see at some other major festivals around the U.S.”
[caption id="attachment_46041" align="alignright" width="300" caption="People took some time off in one of two Hammock Hangouts, this one featuring screens that played silent films throughout Firefly Festival's three days and nights."]
Attendance estimates for this year’s event are at 65,000 people, more than twice that of last year. And Bostrom believes the fan experience did not suffer at all because of the expansion.
“We’re really happy delivering the similar experience that we had last year – and even an elevated experience – to twice as many people,” said Bostrom.
Continued growth of the festival is planned, and officials are looking at other festivals like California’s Coachella and Bonnaroo in Tennessee, as models.
“There’s sort of a range that you fall in to be considered one of the big, major music festivals and I think Firefly will be in that range as well,” said Bostrom, who expects in excess of 70 thousand people to attend next summer.
Bostrom expects future growth to be dictated by several factors.
“Where do we feel comfortable with the space we have, our operational capabilities, to deliver a grade-a world class event and that’s the number we will go to,” he said.
Tatoian also feels that the festival is a benefit to more than just the two partners, bringing positive attention and economic benefit to Dover.
“There are 50 states and 9 or 11 countries represented, and not to say that they wouldn’t have been here otherwise, but they probably wouldn’t have been coming to Dover, Delaware otherwise,” said Tatoian.
Meanwhile, the third and final day of the 2013 Firefly Festival rolled along, much the same as it had the first two days, albeit slightly more damp.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms occasionally popped up, but the crowds mostly braved the rain to see their favorite bands perform.
Passion Pit tried to make up for withdrawing from last year’s festival. The synth-pop group performed Sunday after dropping out a year ago for health-related issues. But they cut their set short by about a half hour when health issues cropped up again. Lead singer Michael Angelakos voice gave up and the band was force to stop their show.
The event wrapped up with Vampire Weekend coming on the Lawn stage, while Foster the People closed the festival at 9:30.
DelDOT officials said they were prepared for traffic delays as the fan exodus began. They warned those traveling in our out of Dover Sunday to do so prior to 7 pm Sunday. DelDOT adjusted traffic signal timing Dover through New Castle County to keep things moving.
DelDOT also warned those traveling in the area around the festival after 7pm to be aware of increased pedestrian traffic.
Festival officials say, all in all, the event should receive high grades.
“I think it was wildly successful,” Tatoian exclaims. “ Absolutely. So do sixty-five thousand other people, I think.”
