By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff
The Festival at Sandpoint recently released its annual report for 2024, providing an overview of the fiscal year’s accomplishments and economic data on revenues and expenses.
According to the report, the nonprofit arts organization brought in $2,529,310 in FY 2024, with 71% of revenues coming from programs, 23% from fundraising, 3% from other sources and 2% from grants. Expenses for the year totaled $1,256,943 — with 71% spent on programs, 28% on administration and 1% on fundraising — for a positive balance of $372,367.
Compared to the 2023 report, that’s a $98,578 increase year over year.
“A stellar series lineup featuring multiple Grammy winners spurred record ticket sales and sponsorships during our 2024 Summer Series,” stated FAS Executive Director Ali Baranski in a news release.
In particular, the Aug. 4 presentation of “How to Train Your Dragon — In Concert” was the highest-attended Grand Finale in the history of the Festival. That was due in part to the increase in the organization’s ticket outreach efforts, which this year leveraged support from the Innovia Foundation to work with schools and other local organizations on providing 200 free Grand Finale tickets for underserved community members, individuals with special needs, seniors and veterans.
Photo by Racheal Baker
Also in partnership with Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors and The National Parks, the Festival distributed 300 free tickets to the bands’ July 28 performance to teachers, nurses, EMTs, firefighters, police, veterans and active duty military members.
In addition, the 2024 season featured the largest-ever performance by the Festival at Sandpoint Orchestra, which includes more than 70 musicians from across the region.
The Festival underscored the expansion of its year-round music education programs, including its partnership with Lake Pend Oreille School District’s sixth-grade band program to provide instruments for beginning music students. This year, the organization made 14 trombones available to the district as part of its Instrument Library, benefiting more than 300 students at seven local elementary schools.
Meanwhile, the Festival awarded scholarships totaling $9,250 to six students in recognition of their musical and artistic achievements, and to support their further education.
Finally, FAS completed the third year of its Pre-K Outreach programming at Little Lambs and Selkirk School, while expanding to Huckleberry Montessori. The series of free, in-class lessons are geared toward engaging students through rhythm, movement and song, according to the Festival.
Of particular note in the annual report, the Festival put out a call to the community for the donation of property in order to relocate the concert series from War Memorial Field, which has been its venue since 1983.
“Your contribution could play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Festival at Sandpoint, providing a permanent home for arts and culture in Sandpoint and the surrounding communities of the Inland Northwest,” the report stated, inviting anyone with property available for donation to email [email protected].
Finding a new location for the Festival’s signature event has been a priority since the installation of artificial turf at War Memorial Field in 2020, which added considerable costs to the organization.
“Unfortunately, the most unsustainable variable of FAS’s current operations remains at War Memorial Field,” the Festival stated in both its 2021 and 2022 annual reports. “With $150,000 of FAS’s annual budget now being spent on protecting the artificial turf, FAS has started the process of looking for a new permanent home.”
According to a study commissioned in 2022 and released in the spring of 2023, the Festival generates a direct economic impact of $3.8 million on Bonner County; more than $233,000 in city of Sandpoint, county and state taxes; and creates 37 full-time equivalent jobs throughout Sandpoint.
“We are so honored by the exceptional support from our community for the Festival’s 41st Annual Summer Series,” Baranski stated. “The generosity of our volunteers, donors, sponsors, partners and fans is truly humbling and what makes living in this region and the Festival so special.”
The Festival at Sandpoint will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 5- 6 p.m. at the FAS office (525 Pine St., in Sandpoint). The meeting is open to the public. To learn more and read the 2024 annual report, visit festivalatsandpoint.com/annual-reports.
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Coming up this week! Don’t miss out on Holiday performances, a Winter Faire, SantaCon, and more! See the full list of events in the 
