Morgantown says 2025 Ruby Summer Concert Series drew thousands and bolstered local spending
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Summary
City arts staff told the Committee of the Whole that the fourth season of the Ruby Summer Concert Series brought thousands of visitors, generated vendor and hotel spending downtown, and relied on significant city staff time and partner in‑kind support. City officials discussed counting attendance and the series’ wider cultural benefits.
Vincent Kitsch, director of arts and cultural development, told the Committee of the Whole on Oct. 28 that the city’s fourth Ruby Summer Concert Series drew regular crowds and produced measurable local economic activity.
Kitsch said the series brought between about 2,000 and 5,000 people downtown most Friday nights and that the city conservatively estimates the staff time to support the program at $150,000 to $200,000 in total annually. He told council the series directly generated at least $20,000 in local hotel and food purchases and that the event food and beverage concession reported about $188,000 in sales this season; artists sold nearly $50,000 in merchandise, Kitsch said.
"Weare bringing anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 people downtown every Friday night," Kitsch said. "Weare putting heads in beds. Weare making significant economic and social impacts on Morgantown and the work district and the entire county."
Kitsch credited a mix of grants and private sponsors for the series, naming the Hazel Ruby McLean Charitable Trust as title sponsor and listing Monongalia County and local tourism partners among funders. He also described roughly $80,000 in in‑kind media support from WVRC that amplified the city's paid advertising and helped deliver millions of impressions over the summer.
Kitsch said the city has seen some international visitors and that third‑party foot‑traffic estimates from Placer AI often exceed the city’s internal attendance counts; he described examples in which Placer AI indicated several thousand more visitors than staff tallies for particular events.
Beyond the amphitheater, Kitsch updated council on other cultural assets. He said the MET finished a capital replacement of its lighting system and is working on fly‑system repairs; the Morgantown History Museum has added events and a full‑time museum coordinator and recently opened a Founder's Day exhibit. Kitsch also said the city has taken possession of the Easton Roller Mill and staff are preparing an operational plan and repairs ahead of public openings.
Kitsch concluded by inviting the council and residents to upcoming events, including an Oct. 31 family "Spooktacular," an evening screening of "Hocus Pocus," and a Rocky Horror Picture Show screening later that night.
The presentation prompted brief questions from council on ticketed concerts, use of third‑party crowd estimates and sponsors. Kitsch said the city is conservative in reporting attendance to avoid overstating impact but is exploring methodologies to better quantify economic outcomes.