Designing a Module on the Economics of Music Festivals for High School Civics

Hook: Turn civic confusion into civic inquiry

Teachers and students often struggle to find classroom-ready materials that connect economic reasoning to real local choices: how do cities weigh revenue and reputation against noise, congestion, and the invisible costs borne by neighbors? This module gives civics classrooms a structured, standards-aligned path to evaluate the trade-offs when a city considers hosting a large-scale music festival, using 2026 case materials tied to Santa Monica and recent promoter activity as a teaching lab.

Quick summary: what this module does (most important first)

This five-lesson module (adaptable to 3–8 class periods) teaches students to: 1) analyze economic impacts and externalities of festivals, 2) interrogate press coverage and municipal documents, and 3) craft policy advice for city decision-makers. It integrates a 2026 news case—reported promoter activity in Santa Monica and high-profile industry investments—with local governance documents (city council staff reports, permits, and event impact statements) so students practice real-world policy analysis.

Why teach this now: 2026 trends that change the classroom conversation

Festival economies evolved rapidly after the pandemic and into the mid-2020s. By 2026, several trends are shaping local decisions about large events:

• Promoter consolidation and investment: Industry consolidation and venture investments—like the recent 2026 investments reported in Billboard—have accelerated large-scale festival expansions into new cities.
• Tech-driven operations: AI ticketing, dynamic pricing, and real-time crowd analytics change revenue models and public-safety planning.
• Climate and resilience concerns: Heat, wildfire smoke, and sea-level threats require new emergency planning at outdoor venues.
• Heightened local scrutiny: Communities and councils demand transparent economic assessments and documented mitigation for noise, traffic, and equity impacts.

These 2026 realities make a module that blends economics, civics, and local documents essential for civic education.

Learning objectives & standards alignment

By the end of the module students will be able to:

• Explain and apply the concepts of opportunity cost, externalities, public goods, and cost–benefit analysis to a municipal decision.
• Analyze primary sources—news coverage and city governance documents—and evaluate their reliability.
• Prepare and present a policy memo advising a city council on whether to permit a proposed festival.
• Demonstrate civic reasoning during a simulated public hearing and reflect on democratic processes.

Standards alignment: Aligns with the C3 Framework (D2.Eco.1–D2.Civ.12), Common Core literacy for history/social studies (RH.9-10.1; WHST.9-10.2), and state-level civics standards focused on public policy analysis.

Module at a glance: 5 lessons (flexible)

1. Lesson 1: Economics & Externalities — core concepts and mini case of a small local event (1 class).
2. Lesson 2: Investigating Sources — reading news (Billboard, Jan 2026 coverage) and municipal documents (1 class).
3. Lesson 3: Data & Cost–Benefit Lab — analyze a sample dataset and compute net impact (1–2 classes).
4. Lesson 4: Simulation — city council public hearing with stakeholders (1 class).
5. Lesson 5: Policy Memo & Reflection — students submit memos and present (1 class + assessment time).

Lesson 1 — Economics & Externalities (60 minutes)

Goal

Introduce key economic concepts and frame the question: should City X host a large music festival?

Materials

• Slide set with definitions (opportunity cost, externality, multiplier effect).
• Short local example video or image (e.g., Santa Monica Pier photo for place-based context).

Activities

• Warm-up: quick write—what benefits and costs would your neighborhood face if a festival arrived?
• Teacher mini-lecture (10–12 minutes) with strong conceptual examples.
• Think–pair–share: identify stakeholders and list visible vs. hidden costs.

Formative check

Exit ticket: list one positive externality and one negative externality for a music festival, with justification.

Lesson 2 — Investigating Sources: Santa Monica case materials (60 minutes)

Use current 2026 reporting and municipal documents to analyze competing narratives.

Primary materials (teacher to collect beforehand)

• Billboard article (Jan 2026) reporting a promoter's plans to bring a large-scale festival to Santa Monica and noting industry investments.
• Santa Monica city council staff report(s) on event permitting, available at santamonica.gov (search: Council Agenda, Staff Reports).
• Local ordinances: noise rules, special-event permit fees, and police/parking impact statements.
• Community petitions or neighborhood association letters (publicly posted comments in council minutes).

Activities

• Source analysis protocol: who wrote this, what is the purpose, who benefits, what is missing?
• Small groups analyze news vs. city staff report, then report differences in assumptions (e.g., attendance estimates).
• Class discussion: why might a promoter frame impacts differently than a city planner?

“It’s time we all got off our asses, left the house and had fun.” — quoted in Billboard (Jan 2026) from an investor commenting on new nightlife investments.

Lesson 3 — Data & Cost–Benefit Lab (90 minutes)

Students use a sample dataset to estimate economic impact and compute trade-offs. Provide a downloadable CSV with adapted, realistic numbers.

Suggested sample dataset (teacher-provided; adapt to locale)

• Attendance scenarios: low (20,000), medium (50,000), high (100,000)
• Average onsite spending per attendee (tickets excluded): $60
• Average offsite spending per attendee (restaurants, hotels, local transit): $45
• City variable costs: policing $120,000 per day, sanitation $30,000 per day, traffic management $25,000 per day
• One-time infrastructure/cleanup wear-and-tear estimate: $200,000
• Multiplier for local economic activity: 1.6 (moderate local supply chain linkages)

Worked example (class demonstration)

Using the medium scenario (50,000 attendees):

1. Direct onsite spending = 50,000 × $60 = $3,000,000
2. Offsite spending = 50,000 × $45 = $2,250,000
3. Total direct spending = $5,250,000
4. Apply multiplier (1.6): estimated total economic impact = $5,250,000 × 1.6 = $8,400,000
5. Subtract city costs (2-day event): policing $240,000 + sanitation $60,000 + traffic $50,000 + infrastructure $200,000 = $550,000
6. Net (simple) = $8,400,000 − $550,000 = $7,850,000

Discuss limitations: displacement effects, nonlocal capture of revenue (tickets sold online to out-of-area firms), and equity distribution (who receives gains vs. who bears noise).

Lesson 4 — Simulation: City Council Public Hearing (60–90 minutes)

Students role-play stakeholders: city planners, local business owners, neighborhood advocates, environmental groups, promoter representatives, and council members.

Prep

• Assign roles and provide 1–2 pages of background per role (use analyzed sources and dataset).
• Set time limits and public comment procedures modeled on real council meetings.

Outcomes

• Students synthesize economic arguments and present mitigation plans (noise curfews, traffic impact mitigation: temporary transit lanes, shuttle services, residential parking protections).
• Council members vote and provide rationale; the class debriefs the democratic process.

Lesson 5 — Policy Memo & Assessment (homework + presentation)

Each student (or team) writes a concise policy memo to the mayor recommending approval, conditional approval with mitigation, or denial. Memos must reference evidence, include cost–benefit estimates, and propose at least three mitigation measures.

Scoring rubric (sample)

• Evidence & Analysis (40%): Clear use of data and documents.
• Feasibility & Mitigation (30%): Practicality of proposed measures.
• Civic Reasoning (20%): Consideration of stakeholder fairness and democratic process.
• Writing & Presentation (10%): Clarity and persuasiveness.

Primary sources & materials list (teacher checklist)

Collect these before you teach:

• Local news articles (e.g., Billboard coverage of promoter activity in Santa Monica, Jan 2026).
• Santa Monica City Council agendas and staff reports (santamonica.gov public records).
• Special-event permit templates; police/parking impact assessments; noise ordinances.
• Tourism and hotel occupancy tax data for the most recent fiscal years.
• One or two community statements (letters to council or public comments) to show civic voice.

Tip: If a city document is complex, provide a teacher-annotated summary with key facts and questions to guide students.

Classroom-ready handouts (downloadable suggestions)

• Source-analysis worksheet
• Sample dataset (CSV) and step-by-step calculator worksheet
• Role briefing packets for the simulation
• Policy memo template (500–750 words)
• Rubric and grading checklist

Pedagogical notes & differentiation

Adaptive scaffolds:

• For learners needing support, provide simplified datasets and sentence starters for memos.
• Advanced students can model multipliers using spreadsheet functions and sensitivity analyses.
• Embed digital literacy: verify news claims with cross-references to public records.

Addressing controversy: Remind students this is a civic inquiry, not advocacy. Encourage respectful debate and offer pre-simulation norms. Notify parents when simulations include contentious local issues.

Sample mitigation options students should consider

• Noise curfews and decibel monitoring stations
• Traffic impact mitigation: temporary transit lanes, shuttle services, residential parking protections
• Revenue-sharing: community benefits agreement or dedicated fund for neighborhood repairs
• Environmental measures: shade, water stations, smoke contingencies tied to air-quality thresholds
• Equity provisions: discounted local vendor access, community ticket allocations

Assessment & evidence of learning

Use multiple measures:

• Formative exit tickets and source-analysis checks during lessons 1–3.
• Performance assessment: role-play voting rationales and recorded simulation.
• Summative: policy memo graded with rubric and an oral defense (3–5 minutes).

Extensions and community engagement

• Invite a city planner or events coordinator for a Q&A (virtual or in-person).
• Arrange a field trip to a local event venue. If in Santa Monica, investigate pier and beachfront constraints via public maps and staff reports.
• Connect with local university programs (urban planning, economics) to have students present their memos to real stakeholders.

Practical classroom tips from experience

• Start with place-based framing—students care more when the issue affects their town.
• Keep datasets short and precise. A few clear numbers teach analytical thinking better than messy, unrealistic spreadsheets.
• Model civic humility: show that reasonable analysts can reach different conclusions based on values and assumptions.
• Protect student safety around controversial local politics—use hypothetical variations if needed.

Teacher’s checklist before week one

1. Download and vet the Billboard 2026 article and at least one advisory staff report from the city website.
2. Prepare the sample dataset and calculator sheet; test formulas.
3. Assign roles and produce role packets; prepare the rubric.
4. Notify school leaders/parents about public-simulation activities if local issues are discussed.

Final classroom product examples

Examples students can produce that demonstrate deep learning:

• Two-page policy memo with appendix of calculations and citation list.
• 3-minute video advocacy piece from the perspective of a neighborhood group.
• Public-service one-pager explaining the city’s trade-offs in accessible language.

Why this module builds civic capacity in 2026 and beyond

Teaching students to read municipal documents, interrogate news reports (like the 2026 Billboard coverage of promoter moves), and run transparent cost–benefit analyses equips them for civic life. In an era of rapid industry change—venture investments, AI-driven promotion, shifting environmental risk—students need the tools to hold decision-makers accountable and to imagine equitable public solutions.

Sources & further reading

• Recent industry coverage: Billboard, Jan 2026 report on promoter activity and investor moves (use for classroom source analysis).
• Santa Monica official websites: city council agendas, staff reports, and event permit pages (search santamonica.gov).
• Introductory civic-economics primers on externalities and cost–benefit analysis (recommended short readings).

Call to action

Ready to adapt this module to your classroom? Download the editable lesson packet, sample dataset, and role packets at historian.site/teaching-resources. Try the module in your next civics unit, share student work with your local council, and send us feedback—your classroom adaptations will help us refine materials for other teachers nationwide.

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