Modernism Week 2018 sees rising attendance, revenue for the Coachella Valley
Last month’s Coachella Valley-wide Modernism Week event saw a 30 percent increase in attendance over last year and generated an estimated $47.25 million in revenue for the region’s businesses, officials said today.
The 11-day event celebrating mid-century modern homes in the desert drew more than 126,000 guests from 19 nations. The 2018 event was the first to bring in visitors from all 50 states, organizers said. A third of the tickets sold in California came from Coachella Valley residents.
“The worldwide publicity that the event generates continues to help brand the entire Coachella Valley as a Mecca for Modernism and architecture, which has a year-round influence on the valley’s tourism and international stature,” Modernism Week Board Chairman William Kopelk said.
The attention the event garnered in both U.S. and international circles also broke records for several Modernism Week staples, such as the Modernism Show & Sale, which was “by far the most well-attended of the Palm Springs shows in our company’s history,” said Rosemary Krieger, president of
Dolphin Promotions.
“Our record-breaking number of significant exhibitors reported increased sales and their enthusiasm for the increased traffic was amazing.”
New elements of the 2018 Modernism Week included “Hollywood Revisited,” a musical extravaganza showcasing costumes worn by stars from Hollywood’s Golden Age, an auction of architect Walter S. White’s “Wave House” in Palm Desert, and the “Sacred Places-Modern Church Tour” of more than seven houses of worship.
The fall preview for 2019’s Modernism Week is slated for Oct. 18 through Oct. 21. Tickets will go on sale Aug. 1.
