Portland winter carnival draws thousands and generates economic boost of $4M
Courtesy / Jennifer Breton
Undeterred by lingering pandemic concerns, Carnaval ME 2022 attendees quaff beer in a giant inflatable igloo.
A 10-day winter carnival in Portland fell short of projected attendance — but still exceeded results from the event's inaugural year.
Organizers chalked up Carnaval ME 2022, "Fire and Ice," as a success for its overall draw and economic impact.
The festival attracted more than 15,000 ticketed customers to Portland’s Eastern Promenade from Feb. 17-26. Nearly 30% came from outside Maine, as far away as Florida, Colorado, Texas, California and Arizona.
“We are thrilled that Carnaval Maine drew so many visitors to Portland from all over the U.S. to experience all there is to enjoy here,” Lynn Tillotson of Visit Portland said in a news release. “The impact of this festival is significant.”
The first Carnaval ME was held in 2020, as a three-day event on the eve of the pandemic. That festival drew roughly 10,000 attendees.
Last year, Carnaval was canceled. This year’s expanded version was expected to draw 25,000 people.
Nevertheless, its economic impact was estimated at over $4 million, according to eventIMPACTS.
The festival kicked off on the evening of Feb. 17 with a gala opening party. Over the next week and a half, Carnaval featured ice sculptures, an 80-foot-wide inflatable igloo, a beer garden, and skiing and snowboarding demonstrations.
Temperatures ranged from zero to 68 degrees.
“Little did we know when we marketed Carnaval Maine as a celebration of Maine as a state for all seasons that we would experience all four seasons over the 10-day festival,” said Brian Corcoran, CEO and founder of Shamrock Sports & Entertainment of Portland, which owns and manages the event.
“Despite the challenges with Mother Nature, thanks to the contributions of more than 100 volunteers and sponsors we delivered epic experiences to our guests, and raised $25,000 for our beneficiary, WinterKids.”
WinterKids is a Westbrook nonprofit that promotes cold-weather activities and recreation for children.
The carnival included fireworks presented by WEX, performances including Scotty McCreery and Ghost of Paul Revere on the Norway Savings Bank Snow Stage, Rail Jam Presented by Nautilus Solar, L.L.Bean WinterKids Zone, and multiple sold-out Bites & Brews events in the Visit Maine igloo.
“It is exciting to see businesses from across the region coming together to support this great event,” said Quincy Hentzel, president and CEO of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. “This event really highlighted how Maine is a great place to live, work and play all year long.”
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