Great Waters

What Great Waters does

Great Waters Music Festival (legally: Great Waters Music Festival; DBAs: Great Waters, Great Waters Summer Concerts) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 by Dr. Gerald Mack and headquartered at 54 N Main St, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. It operates a curated summer concert series — typically 8-10 performances per season — split between two venues: 'Concerts in Town' at Brewster Academy's Anderson Hall in Wolfeboro and 'Concerts in the Clouds' under a 500-seat covered tent at Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough. Programming spans folk, jazz, Broadway, classical, pop, bluegrass, comedy, and tribute acts.

The organization runs no proprietary technology platform; ticketing is delivered through OvationTix and marketing through Constant Contact plus organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube). Its product surface consists of the two core concert series plus three ancillary community programs — the Street Piano Project (Memorial Day through Labor Day), the Barbara and David Lobdell Scholarship Fund for Lakes Region music students, and the Annual Gala — along with gift certificates redeemable for tickets or donations.

Revenue is generated through four streams: individual and season-pass ticket sales ($20-$70 per ticket across seating tiers), a multi-tier corporate sponsorship program (Bronze through Diamond, with Eastern Propane and Oil as the inaugural Diamond partner enabling the Cloud Club exclusive membership), tax-deductible individual donations, and gala proceeds (the Annual Gala fundraiser itself covers less than 40% of operating costs). Day-to-day operations are run by a small professional staff under Executive Director Joan Myers and a volunteer Board of Directors led by Chair Chris Coulter, serving residents and visitors to New Hampshire's Lakes Region and the broader summer tourism economy.

Name

Great Waters

Legal name

Great Waters Music Festival

Website

https://greatwaters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Great Waters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit summer music festival in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire that presents 8-10 concerts per season at Brewster Academy's Anderson Hall and a 500-seat tent at Castle in the Clouds, serving Lakes Region residents and seasonal visitors with folk, jazz, Broadway, classical, and pop programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music & Performing Arts

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

Keywords

• Summer concert series
• Performing arts nonprofit
• Live music events
• Community music festivals
• Music education scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Wolfeboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual concert tickets and season passes sold through online ticketing platform (OvationTix) and box office. Tickets range from $20-70 depending on show and seating tier.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at multiple levels (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Sapphire, Silver, Bronze, Supporting) providing revenue and promotional support.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting the nonprofit mission.
4. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates sold for concerts, merchandise, or donations to scholarship fund.
5. Annual Gala and Fundraising Events: Annual gala fundraiser with dinner, live auction, and performances. Ticket sales ($100/person, table sponsorships) support operations and community programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Great Waters is a nonprofit performing arts organization that produces and presents a summer concert series at two scenic New Hampshire venues — Concerts in Town at Brewster Academy's Anderson Hall in Wolfeboro and Concerts in the Clouds under a 500-seat acoustic tent at Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough. Programming spans folk, jazz, Broadway, classical, bluegrass, blues, comedy, and tribute acts, supplemented by the Street Piano Project community program, the Barbara and David Lobdell music scholarship fund, gift certificates, and an annual fundraising Gala.

Product overview

Great Waters is a nonprofit summer music festival organization presenting two distinct concert series: the indoor Concerts in Town at Brewster Academy's Anderson Hall, and the outdoor Concerts in the Clouds at Castle in the Clouds featuring a 500-seat performance tent. The organization supplements its core concert programming with community engagement through the Street Piano Project and music education via its Scholarship Program. Annual fundraising is anchored by a Gala event, while gift certificates provide an ancillary revenue stream. The portfolio spans diverse musical genres including folk, classical, jazz, Broadway, pop, bluegrass, and comedy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Concerts in Town: Concert series held at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, offering an intimate setting for performances.
• Concerts in the Clouds
• Street Piano Project
• Barbara and David Lobdell Scholarship Fund

Products and services

• Concerts in Town Summer indoor concert series held at Brewster Academy's Anderson Hall in Wolfeboro, NH, featuring world-class musical performances across Broadway, jazz, folk, pop, classical, bluegrass, blues, comedy, and vocal artists in an intimate indoor setting. Open to the general public and ticket buyers.
• Concerts in the Clouds Outdoor summer concert series held under a 500-seat state-of-the-art acoustic tent at Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough, NH, with additional lawn seating and scenic views of Lake Winnipesaukee. Features world-class musical performances across multiple genres.
• Street Piano Project Community engagement initiative that places brightly painted pianos outside businesses throughout Wolfeboro from Memorial Day to Labor Day each summer, inviting community members and visitors to play and share music in public spaces.
• Barbara and David Lobdell Scholarship Program Financial assistance program for Lakes Region music students pursuing studies in music education, performance, or theater production at the college or graduate level. Scholarships are funded by donors and the Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation, with applications accepted via Google Forms.
• Annual Gala Fundraiser Annual gala fundraiser featuring an open bar, full dinner, live auction, and a featured performer. Tickets are $100 per person with table sponsorships available ($1,500 funnybone table for 8-10; $2,000 hilariously helpful table for 8-10). Serves as the organization's primary annual fundraiser.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates redeemable for specific show tickets, merchandise, or donations to the scholarship fund. Valid for one year from the purchase date and sold through the OvationTix online storefront.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2023 season exceeded all expectations with exponential increases in sponsors, donors, advertisers, and attendees compared to prior years

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Castle in the Clouds (Castle Preservation Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership with Castle Preservation Society to present Concerts in the Clouds series at the historic Castle in the Clouds estate in Moultonborough. The partnership provides a scenic outdoor venue (500-seat tent plus lawn seating) overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee for Great Waters performances.
• Brewster AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to present the Concerts in Town series at Brewster Academy's Anderson Hall in Wolfeboro. Great Waters also conducts community outreach programs including educational performances for students through this partnership.
• Eastern Propane and OilflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond-level sponsor and first diamond partner of Great Waters (2023). Their support enabled creation of the Cloud Club exclusive membership with perks for patrons.
• NH Master ChoraleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for special performances including 'Considering Matthew Shepard' concert featuring 30-voice master chorale with chamber orchestra.
• Wolfeboro Businesses (Street Piano Locations)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Wolfeboro businesses host brightly painted street pianos outside their establishments during summer months, supporting the Street Piano Project community initiative.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts: Summer performing arts venue near Vienna, VA featuring diverse music genres under a covered Filene Center and outdoor lawn seating. Directly comparable business model: multi-genre summer concert series, mixed seated/lawn, sponsorship-supported nonprofit.
• Ravinia Festival: Oldest outdoor music festival in North America (Highland Park, IL) presenting symphony, jazz, pop, and family programming under a covered pavilion with lawn seating. Closely comparable in operating model, venue structure (covered pavilion plus lawn), and nonprofit summer concert series format.
• Newport Classical (formerly Newport Music Festival): Summer classical and contemporary chamber music festival in Newport, RI presenting performances across historic venues. Comparable as a small, regional summer nonprofit festival with ticketed concerts and donor-supported operations in a New England/seasonal-resort geography.
• Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts: Summer performing arts center in Katonah, NY on a historic estate offering classical, jazz, family, and pop concerts in a scenic setting. Strongly comparable: nonprofit, estate-venue, multi-genre summer programming, comparable headcount and scale.

Broad incumbents

• Tanglewood (Boston Symphony Orchestra): Iconic summer music festival in the Berkshires (Lenox, MA) presenting orchestral, classical, jazz, and pop performances. Comparable as a New England summer performing arts organization, but operates at vastly larger scale and as a Broad Incumbent with a permanent orchestra rather than a touring summer series.

Regional players

• Prescott Park Arts Festival: Summer performing arts festival in Portsmouth, NH presenting music, theater, and family events in an outdoor park setting. Closely comparable as a NH-based regional summer arts festival, but primarily serves the seacoast rather than the Lakes Region.
• Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival: Summer chamber music festival serving Cape Cod communities in Massachusetts with ticketed concerts and community outreach. Comparable as a small New England summer music nonprofit, though concentrated on chamber music specifically.
• Monadnock Music: Summer classical chamber music festival serving southwestern New Hampshire communities. Directly comparable as a small NH-based nonprofit summer music festival, though operating at even smaller scale and with a classical-only focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChlB0x56LHokR-38P599dLA
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreatWatersNH
• Instagraminstagram.com/greatwatersnh
• Xx.com/GreatWatersNH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-waters-music-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Waters