Pensacola could see a record weekend with more festivals

PENSACOLA, Fla. — It’s going to be a busy weekend in Pensacola.

Foo Foo Fest, Gulf Coast Arts Festival, Greek Festival and Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show are all happening this weekend. They will bring large crowds to the Pensacola area.

These are destination events that will bring people and money to the area on an off-season weekend. Whether it’s the Homecoming Air Show or the festivals taking place in the Pensacola area, festival season is here and so are the crowds.

Each festival traditionally draws large crowds from Northwest Florida and the country.

Maria Goldberg is one of the founding members of the Foo Foo Festival and has watched the festival grow.

“It’s amazing what’s happened over the years,” says Goldberg. “The growth has been tremendous. It’s through word of mouth and our aggressive marketing campaign we’re doing in the South East.”

The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds are also expected to bring big crowds. The two kicked off the homecoming air show with a historic flyover. Thousands of people stood on the beach and downtown.

Kendra Werstler of Hartville, Oh., convinced her father to drive more than 13 hours to see the show.

“A few months ago, she saw it and made a PowerPoint to my wife and I said I’ll pay,” Werstler’s father says. “I’ll pay for most of it if we can come the week and see the Super Delta. We’ll stay until Sunday morning and come back.”

Darien Schaefer is the president of Visit Pensacola. They are celebrating 10 years of marketing Pensacola and the growth that has resulted.

“We also have the SEC women’s soccer championship. In the latter part of October, the first part of November, we’re really growing year-over-year in terms of economic impact,” Schaefer says. “We’re seeing the Foo Foo Festival expand and evolve and really bring in people from outside the county and see the different acts and shows.”

He says this weekend often gives people a reason to come back to Pensacola.

“Events like these bring attention to Pensacola and Escambia County,” Schaefer says. “What we’ve found is that a lot of times it’s just that first experience, that first visit that then becomes a second visit.”

The Pensacola Beach air show typically brings in $20 million to the local economy. The base expects more than 250,000 people to attend this weekend’s air show.

Schaefer says this could be a record weekend for the area.