The 2016 Englewood Beach Waterfest had a huge economic impact on the area. Research conducted for Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Islands Visitor and Convention Bureau indicates that out-of-county visitors and out-of-county race teams and promoters accounted for more than five-point-five million dollars in revenue. Charlotte residents and seasonal residents attending Waterfest spent more than 600-thousand dollars in the Englewood area. A strong majority of out-of-town visitors–92 percent–said they would return for the event this year.
