What is havasu highest grossing weekend?

[Bpracing1127]

A few events come to mind

Desert storm
Memorial Day
4th of July
Labor Day

New Years
Presidents’ Day
Thanksgiving

What am I missing?


I think havasu highest grossing weekend is Presidents’ Day. Town is usually crazy full for the holiday and it’s normally fireworks weekend too. Lots of offroading people at bars.

Close second would be desert storm.

 

[DWC]

A few events come to mind

Desert storm
Memorial Day
4th of July
Labor Day

New Years
Presidents’ Day
Thanksgiving

What am I missing?


I think havasu highest grossing weekend is Presidents’ Day. Town is usually crazy full for the holiday and it’s normally fireworks weekend too. Lots of offroading people at bars.

Close second would be desert storm.

Great question Ian. Hope someone in the know has the right answer. I’d say Desert Storm pulls in the most cash. People are in town with their wallets open.
The ballon festival or something similar probably has the most official visitors. Assuming VRBO counts aren’t tracked but park visitors are.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Interesting question.

Grossing? I don’t think it would be in the winter. Likely one of the summer boating holidays if we are talking gross $$$.

Off-road season is less gas, less food sales, less alcohol, shorter days etc.

I think the town brings in way more $$$ during a festival like DS.

Watch it be the ballon festival

 

[C-2]

Desert Storm. There is a marketing survey prepared by NAU floating around out there in cyberspace.

Until that survey surfaced, DS was mostly shunned by the city.

 

[sintax]

I was down in the channel 2 weekends back, it was pretty damn gross! You'd think they'd have some weight limits on those barges, not to mention bikinis!

Storm would be my guess, its nucking futz

 

[JB in so cal]

Balloon festival is old people. They don't spend money around town. Dry camping is at a max.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

We were in town for Run To The Sun last year and it was bonkers.

 

[sintax]

We were in town for Run To The Sun last year and it was bonkers.

yea, we typically go to that as well, and since my pops picked up another new (to him) car this year i'm sure we'll be back.

I dont feel its quite what Storm is though.

oh, and they only charge $6-8 for a beer! They cant even come close at those prices, they better crank it up

 

[EarpRider]

In Parker it is 100% Thanksgiving Weekend.

 

[JFMFG]

Has to be desert storm. The amount of money that is at the street fair is mind boggling. Think of all the fuel, food, alcohol sales, hotels, vrbo, detailing, desert storm maint prep, launch fees. Literally everyone in that town makes money that weekend.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Wouldn’t be shocked if it was Desert Storm. You have activity and spending on the street fair AND time on the water. Most of the other weekends it is activities on the water with a little in town. But depending on how it is evaluated the winter business are busy with snowbirds. They put in the body shops in town being full of repairs from the crappy driving skills. LOL

 

[MK1MOD0]

Desert storm is busy, but is it really busier than Memorial Day weekend. I’m not sure it is.

 

[Bpracing1127]

Wouldn’t be shocked if it was Desert Storm. You have activity and spending on the street fair AND time on the water. Most of the other weekends it is activities on the water with a little in town. But depending on how it is evaluated the winter business are busy with snowbirds. They put in the body shops in town being full of repairs from the crappy driving skills. LOL

Winter time is slammed in town. And if it’s a 70 degree day still alot of boats out too. I think winter time in general is way busier than summer

 

[HB2Havasu]

I’m going to say for overall volume of people that Memorial Day Weekend is #1. Presidents Day (Fireworks Week) is #2. Desert Storm is #3 but gaining ground fast!

I have noticed this year that even though there is no more Covid bullshit restrictions that the crowds are down for all 3 weekends this year compared to 2019. I’m guessing OBidenflation is hitting everybody’s wallet equally?

 

[Riverbottom]

Winter time is slammed in town. And if it’s a 70 degree day still alot of boats out too. I think winter time in general is way busier than summer

Having owned businesses in the desert for twenty five years, winters are much better than summer. That is one of the reasons when Spencer and Cathy purchased Fox's they changed their marketing and catered to winter visitors. Summer time is only busy three days a week, winter is busy seven days a week.

 

[C-2]

As far as busiest events/weekends, the first poker run in April 99 was named the "Heatwave." I still have the original flyer.

Before the poker run hit town, the last weekend in April as just another lazy Havasu weekend with little boat traffic. The poker run changed that. The poker run, instead of Memorial Day, became the start of the summer season, advancing tourism by a full month.

By year the 4th poker run in Fall 2000, the re-named Desert Storm had more than 200 performance boats registered, making it the largest poker run in the nation. Keep in mind that back then, there was a Spring run and a Fall run. The shotgun starts were legendary, and fun as hell.

DS achieved success without any city support. It wasn't easy pulling them off with groups like the sailing club and fisherman trying to dissuade the Coast Guard from letting DS go forward. I was the DS CG liaison and sat with the CG rep at observation point as they monitored/observed the run.

The Northern Arizona University tourism report changed the city's position on the run. The report summarized DS drew people who filled hotels rooms and packed restaurants, whereas most holiday weekends attracted crowds who stuffed 10 to a hotel room and survived off cheap beer and $1 Del Taco burritos.

The marketing survey was also issued before the street party started. It was an instant success and I'm sure increased tourism coffers 10 fold. Let alone, all the other week-long events that are now part of DS.

So yeah, it's a money maker.

 

[Mandelon]

lake havasu city tourism study

www.prm.nau.edu

 

[Taboma]

lake havasu city tourism study

www.prm.nau.edu

but 22 years old is what I read

 

[Tank]

Desert Storm by FAR. And as posted above there's a report floating around that showed it.

You have to look at the type of people that come to Desert Storm. They're spenders and there's a LOT during that weekend. Memorial, 4th and Labor day are big weekends but spending habits are different. I'd guess DS brings in 4 mil for the weekend.

For example, in Key West the offshore race / poker run weekend brings in over six mil to the city and it's the #1 grossing event of the year down there. Fantasy Fest pulls three times the people to the city but they don't have the spending habits of big boat owners. Rollin to restaurants or local bar with a group of 20, fuel for larger boats, multilpe rooms and houses rented because they don't pile in 8 people into one room, etc. etc. DS by a loooooooong shot.

 

[MagicMan]

Definitely desert storm, hard to get dinner rsvps. Called chabones this year for rsvp they said credit card needed for a deposit. If we were a no show $20 charge per person. I come every holiday including desert storm always the busiest. Never been here in the winter but I hear it’s busier than summer and restaurants are open later.

 

[Tank]

As far as busiest events/weekends, the first poker run in April 99 was named the "Heatwave." I still have the original flyer.

Before the poker run hit town, the last weekend in April as just another lazy Havasu weekend with little boat traffic. The poker run changed that. The poker run, instead of Memorial Day, became the start of the summer season, advancing tourism by a full month.

By year the 4th poker run in Fall 2000, the re-named Desert Storm had more than 200 performance boats registered, making it the largest poker run in the nation. Keep in mind that back then, there was a Spring run and a Fall run. The shotgun starts were legendary, and fun as hell.

DS achieved success without any city support. It wasn't easy pulling them off with groups like the sailing club and fisherman trying to dissuade the Coast Guard from letting DS go forward. I was the DS CG liaison and sat with the CG rep at observation point as they monitored/observed the run.

The Northern Arizona University tourism report changed the city's position on the run. The report summarized DS drew people who filled hotels rooms and packed restaurants, whereas most holiday weekends attracted crowds who stuffed 10 to a hotel room and survived off cheap beer and $1 Del Taco burritos.

The marketing survey was also issued before the street party started. It was an instant success and I'm sure increased tourism coffers 10 fold. Let alone, all the other week-long events that are now part of DS.

So yeah, it's a money maker.

And before Heatwave it was the Hotboat Regatta. Our first one was 97. Have a pic an aerial pic in the nautical bay. Biggest boat was a 33' Scarab and it was the only one. Everything was 29' and under. LOL

 

[Done-it-again]

Damn, you guys talk about DS being this mighty thing.... IDK, to me it's pretty boring/lack lusting. Flame on

Would be interesting what weekend brings in the most, but I don't see DS being it or the report wouldn't be hidden. There are busier Holiday weekends.

 

[Bpracing1127]

The Winter in havasu has WAY WAY more people in town than even the busiest summer weekends.

I do not think DS is the busiest. Likely second

 

[That Guy]

I was down in the channel 2 weekends back, it was pretty damn gross! You'd think they'd have some weight limits on those barges, not to mention bikinis!

Storm would be my guess, its nucking futz

Ok, that made me laugh out loud!

 

[boatnam2]

Having owned businesses in the desert for twenty five years, winters are much better than summer. That is one of the reasons when Spencer and Cathy purchased Fox's they changed their marketing and catered to winter visitors. Summer time is only busy three days a week, winter is busy seven days a week.

Spencer was the coolest cat ever, broke down one late night and paddled boat to the dock bar around 3:30am, he was down checking things out and brought tools down and got my rig running to get home.

 

[Tank]

Damn, you guys talk about DS being this mighty thing.... IDK, to me it's pretty boring/lack lusting. Flame on

Would be interesting what weekend brings in the most, but I don't see DS being it or the report wouldn't be hidden. There are busier Holiday weekends.

The Winter in havasu has WAY WAY more people in town than even the busiest summer weekends.

I do not think DS is the busiest. Likely second

I agree winter is consistently busier, absolutely. Original question was what WEEKEND is the biggest grosser (single shot to the arm) for Havasu.

Absolutely, with out a doubt, DS. And most likely by a long shot.

 

[DRYHEAT]

Don’t know the actual answer to this question but I would say memorial day weekend is number one. The other holiday weekends I would think wouldn’t be far behind.

Most of the folks on this board think desert storm because they are mostly performance type boaters.

A lot of regular folks and boaters don’t have a clue what Desert Storm or LOTO is.

Run to the sun, and the JetSki events, I think there’s a couple of them get pretty busy also.

 

[DLC]

Highest Gross $$$ Weekend…. I would say boat show weekend ! Think of all those hundreds & hundreds boats being ordered up and sold

 

[Bpracing1127]

I agree winter is consistently busier, absolutely. Original question was what WEEKEND is the biggest grosser (single shot to the arm) for Havasu.

Absolutely, with out a doubt, DS. And most likely by a long shot.

Correct weekend. I still doubt it’s DS. The only ones spending money are the hundred or so entrants. Most everyone else it’s a normal weekend to them. Fireworks weekend has 3x the # of people but they are all offroading, shootings, bars, food. Yea r the weather is good to boating as well

 

[Tank]

Correct weekend. I still doubt it’s DS. The only ones spending money are the hundred or so entrants. Most everyone else it’s a normal weekend to them. Fireworks weekend has 3x the # of people but they are all off-roading, shootings, bars, food. Yea r the weather is good to boating as well

I get other events have more people. Their spending habits are different. When you probably have the most per capita influx of millionaires in one weekend over any other weekend there, the revenue influx is increased.

I'll use the Key West example again. Pretty close set up as Havasu - resort town, vacation spot, event location, multiple events held, lots of bars and restaurants, etc. World races / poker run weekend is the #1 influx of money at over 6 mil for the weekend. Even though other events bring in way more people, specifically fantasy fest and new years. The clientele for the other events is more of a "BYOB, camp, eat at carls Jr., pack 8-10 people into a standard hotel room, etc" type of crowd. VS., "rent the whole top floor of the Pier House Resort at a rate that is inflated four times over for the worlds weekend" type crowd. It's not the size of the event, or the size of the crowds. It's their spending habits.

Look at the marketing survey C-2 posted. "Average" tourist (that's your memorial / labor day / 4th / big weekender) spends $450 over 3 days. SHIIIIIIIIIIIT! I spend nearly four times that in fuel alone over 3 days. LOL. And I'm no baller like the DS crowd.

 

[El Rojo]

Speed Car wknd…it just hasn’t happened yet

 

[Outdrive1]

The winter visitors as a whole spend more money than the summer visitors. They come for extended periods of time unlike the summer weekend visitors. I’ve been told by multiple businesses that they couldn’t survive without the snow birds.

Single weekend? DS or 4th of July would be my guess. In the winter the parks are full and long term rentals are full. They may be cheap, but they are steady.

 

[Tank]

The winter visitors as a whole spend more money than the summer visitors. They come for extended periods of time unlike the summer weekend visitors. I’ve been told by multiple businesses that they couldn’t survive without the snow birds.

Single weekend? DS or 4th of July would be my guess. In the winter the parks are full and long term rentals are full. They made he cheap, but they are steady.

100%. Look at places like LOTO. HUGE boating destination with endless, giant waterfront bars / restaurants. Most straight up close down for winter months. No business. Easy to hate 'em but snow birds carry the economy through the winter.

 

[checkrdpast]

The Winter in havasu has WAY WAY more people in town than even the busiest summer weekends.

I do not think DS is the busiest. Likely second

Yeah, But the snowbirds don't spend money.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Correct weekend. I still doubt it’s DS. The only ones spending money are the hundred or so entrants. Most everyone else it’s a normal weekend to them. Fireworks weekend has 3x the # of people but they are all offroading, shootings, bars, food. Yea r the weather is good to boating as well

Campers, off roaders and shooters bring little money to the town. They all go to Bunker or Desert Bar. You are mostly BBQing at camp, making drinks at camp. Yes the fireworks thing brings tourism, but not all of it is to the town. off roaders spend less than boaters. Just boat gas and one dinner out can cover an entire winter offroading camping weekend for most.

On a busy boating weekend every restaurant in town is full.

 

[DRYHEAT]

Campers, off roaders and shooters bring little money to the town. They all go to Bunker or Desert Bar. You are mostly BBQing at camp, making drinks at camp. Yes the fireworks thing brings tourism, but not all of it is to the town. off roaders spend less than boaters. Just boat gas and one dinner out can cover an entire winter offroading camping weekend for most.

On a busy boating weekend every restaurant in town is full.

Every restaurant in town is usually busy especially on the weekends. Old people don’t typically eat as much or drink as much so yes their tab is a bit smaller. I don’t think there’s really a select off-road demographic, they’re just boaters out of season, so you’re saying they’re cheapskates during the off-road season?

 

[Bpracing1127]

I get other events have more people. Their spending habits are different. When you probably have the most per capita influx of millionaires in one weekend over any other weekend there, the revenue influx is increased.

I'll use the Key West example again. Pretty close set up as Havasu - resort town, vacation spot, event location, multiple events held, lots of bars and restaurants, etc. World races / poker run weekend is the #1 influx of money at over 6 mil for the weekend. Even though other events bring in way more people, specifically fantasy fest and new years. The clientele for the other events is more of a "BYOB, camp, eat at carls Jr., pack 8-10 people into a standard hotel room, etc" type of crowd. VS., "rent the whole top floor of the Pier House Resort at a rate that is inflated four times over for the worlds weekend" type crowd. It's not the size of the event, or the size of the crowds. It's their spending habits.

Look at the marketing survey C-2 posted. "Average" tourist (that's your memorial / labor day / 4th / big weekender) spends $450 over 3 days. SHIIIIIIIIIIIT! I spend nearly four times that in fuel alone over 3 days. LOL. And I'm no baller like the DS crowd.

The bars and restaurants are full. Hotels are usually filled as well. Other than fuel bills I don’t see DS participants spending any more money than people during the winter.

Ds people may drink more but less of them

Winter people (Presidents’ Day) may spend less gas per toy but it’s a ratio of 100 little to 1 big as boat

House rentals and hotels fetch same pricing for both weeks so moot point there

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Every restaurant in town is usually busy especially on the weekends. Old people don’t typically eat as much or drink as much so yes their tab is a bit smaller. I don’t think there’s really a select off-road demographic, they’re just boaters out of season, so you’re saying they’re cheapskates during the off-road season?

I'm saying off roading is cheaper than boating. And the people camping while they are numerous, spend little in town.

My off roading weekends are way cheaper than boating weekends, just from fuel spend alone.

Most offroad people have trailers, so they are camping, not getting a hotel or VRBO.

 

[Bpracing1127]

I'm saying off roading is cheaper than boating. And the people camping while they are numerous, spend little in town.

My off roading weekends are way cheaper than boating weekends, just from fuel spend alone.

Most offroad people have trailers, so they are camping, not getting a hotel or VRBO.

Not true. In havasu very few people are “camping”

 

[C-2]

Correct weekend. I still doubt it’s DS. The only ones spending money are the hundred or so entrants. Most everyone else it’s a normal weekend to them. Fireworks weekend has 3x the # of people but they are all offroading, shootings, bars, food. Yea r the weather is good to boating as well

Until DS came along, the last weekend in April was quiet, it was still pre-season. Few boats were on the lake and most of them were fisherman. We could manage safety operations with a handful of safety boats.

But then word got out about DS and from then on that same weekend looked like a crowded holiday weekend and Havasu never slowed until end of the season.

To try and make the run itself safer, it was moved to Friday so we could better control THE SPECTATORS.

But that was a futile effort too as the run exploded into a huge event, thus making for an annual busy weekend - a full month before Memorial Day weekend.

What about credit for that month? What about the spectators? What about credit for the events bundled with/into DS week?

Maybe things have changed, I could be wrong, I retired as an organizer of DS in 2007.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Not true. In havasu very few people are “camping”

You are right, all those luxury toy haulers out there, it is more like glamping.

When we all camped out there on President’s day all we did was go to the store. Desert was full of campers.

 

[Tank]

The bars and restaurants are full. Hotels are usually filled as well. Other than fuel bills I don’t see DS participants spending any more money than people during the winter.

Ds people may drink more but less of them

Winter people (Presidents’ Day) may spend less gas per toy but it’s a ratio of 100 little to 1 big as boat

House rentals and hotels fetch same pricing for both weeks so moot point there

Actually, the hotel prices are jacked up for DS weekend. Check it out yourself. Go to Expedia and search DS weekend (4/21/23) and then weekend of May 20th. You can't even get LBR DS weekend. But Nautical is $75 more a night. Fuckin' Holiday in express is $125 more a night, The Heat is almost $100 more a night! The bars and restaurants are full on holiday weekends but it's with people spending less. DS people spend more on average, in every aspect than those on any other weekend. It's not the crowds that matter. It's the type of spending that's going on. Not to mention, you been to DS past couple years? I didn't even go last years because year before last, lake and city was the most crowded I've ever seen it. Stupid crowded. Fireworks show, balloon festival, rock-a-billy festival...Been there on all those weekends. not even close to as crowded as DS. Like, you wouldn't even notice they were going on if you didn't actually know the were going on.

I really don't have a dog in this fight. I'm not associated with DS at all. I'm just speaking from my experiences that include other big boating venues such as Key West and Lake of the Ozarks and talking to people that have direct insight. In the end, it's just my .02

 

[rivermobster]

In Parker it is 100% Thanksgiving Weekend.

Nope. Sorry. Parker is closed.

Please make a note of it.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Cal was at our house for a party a few years back and i asked him, he said DS wasn’t it, the winter festivals brought in more tax revenue to the city.

 

[hallett21]

Property tax day….. .


Has to be desert storm or Memorial Day. Also how much actual cash is thrown around that never gets “counted”?

 

[Tank]

Cal was at our house for a party a few years back and i asked him, he said DS wasn’t it, the winter festivals brought in more tax revenue to the city.

Well, I can tell you this much. Havasu has no shortage of special events! Seems like there's something going on every weekend nearly all year long. They are definitely doing it right since there's no real industry there, gotta bring the tax revenue in some how.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Cal was at our house for a party a few years back and i asked him, he said DS wasn’t it, the winter festivals brought in more tax revenue to the city.

As an aggregate yes I could see that for the winter events. But talking about a single weekend I think it is a date in boating season.

 

[DRYHEAT]

I'm saying off roading is cheaper than boating. And the people camping while they are numerous, spend little in town.

My off roading weekends are way cheaper than boating weekends, just from fuel spend alone.

Most offroad people have trailers, so they are camping, not getting a hotel or VRBO.

In reality it all matters, how many people would be in town to go boating or do whatever over desert storm weekend anyway. And why does it matter what is the highest grossing weekend? That’s what I love about this place, we can speculate and argue about stupid shit that doesn’t really matter.

Let’s argue about something important like what shade of blue the sky is.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

In reality it all matters, how many people would be in town to go boating or do whatever over desert storm weekend anyway. And why does it matter what is the highest grossing weekend? That’s what I love about this place, we can speculate and argue about stupid shit that doesn’t really matter.

Let’s argue about something important like what shade of blue the sky is.

Honestly during a DS weekend you can do it all.. boat and off-road.

If we are going to limit arguing to anything that actually mattered… we might as well delete the entire site, aside from the argument about what Mexican place is best.

 

[DLC]

The winter visitors as a whole spend more money than the summer visitors. They come for extended periods of time unlike the summer weekend visitors. I’ve been told by multiple businesses that they couldn’t survive without the snow birds.

Single weekend? DS or 4th of July would be my guess. In the winter the parks are full and long term rentals are full. They may be cheap, but they are steady.

A lot of the winter folks own houses and spend cash fixing up their places during winter.

Summer they are shut down visiting cooler areas.