A festival to call mine: analysis of the impacts of the SESC International Music Festival, and its relationship with community pride and the quality of life of residents.

Abstract

Festivals provide opportunities for social exchange, leisure and recreation, and thus create a sense of community and give meaning to people's lives. This study deepens the knowledge about festivals and their influence on the quality of life, and the mediating role of community pride in the conceptual imbrication of those important constructs. The primary data were collected through online surveys, with self-administered questionnaires, available to the public for three weeks after the event - the 10th SESC International Music Festival - held in Pelotas, RS, Brazil, in February 2020. The sample, with 331 valid answers, was chosen by accessibility, and the survey adherence was encouraged through social networks. The measurement model was based on the reviewed theory and improved through Exploratory/Confirmation Factorial Analysis, and the relationships between the constructs were tested through Structural Equations Modeling. The result confirmed the existence of six factors (economic benefits, social benefits, social and environmental costs, restrictions on mobility, community pride, and perceived quality of life) and attested to the existence of significant influences of the positive impacts of the event on the formation of community pride, and on the quality of life perceived by residents.

Keywords
Festivals; Events; Community pride; Quality of life; Residents