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This is a question more for the performers than patrons.  I'm curious as to what percentage of patrons actually drop something in the hat.

In my (very limited) experience, it depends entirely on the show.  I've seen it anywhere from almost no one to almost everyone.  If you get a good crowd that you really connect with, you'll get a lot more hat than if you don't connect with the audience/have an "off" performance.

I always do but I don't think more than half do.

The amount depends on the show but I always throw in a few bucks evwen if i've seen the show a dozen times...which I have seen most of them that many times.

For a solid stage show with experience and a slick presentation, about 70% at Renaissance Festivals and about 80% at busker festivals.

I've only done one performance where hat-passing was allowed. About 50 people at the show, maybe four people tipped. However, we were the only act at the whole faire that had permission to do a hat pass, so maybe people just weren't expecting it.

Bear in mind, too, that this question is a little like asking all the stores at the mall, "so, how were sales today?" Clearly, the people involved with Pickles N Nothing More are going to have a different experience than Victoria's Secret All-Nude Model Sale :)  An act's experience, longevity, fan base, stage time and placement, etc, are all going to affect their tip ratio.

Quote from: aerial angels on May 20, 2009, 01:06:32 AM
Bear in mind, too, that this question is a little like asking all the stores at the mall, "so, how were sales today?" Clearly, the people involved with Pickles N Nothing More are going to have a different experience than Victoria's Secret All-Nude Model Sale :)  An act's experience, longevity, fan base, stage time and placement, etc, are all going to affect their tip ratio.

Well said and keep in mind that what the stage show is opposite of affects crowd size and 'tip-ability' - if you are up against the joust at most midwest faires ... you may not have that great of a crowd; espeicially at the small faires.  Also, if faire managment books similar groups back to back on the same stage, the crowd WILL dissipate on the 2nd act.  Sad but true.

Back to work for me
Emerald

This is such a wide open question.  there as so many variables just from event to event.
how good your are, how long have you been there, are there many other acts like yours,
what is the quality of the other acts compared to yours at that event, time of day,
where in the world are you, really connecting with the audience, etc, etc.

I guess a conservative estimate for me would be something more than 60% on average,
but hard to tell exactly. 

my question would be "What are the quality of the tips?"
Of those that give, what's the percentage of 1$, 2-4$, 5$, 10$, 20$, 20+$, 100$?
but that's just bragging rights...

the real question is "Are you making enough?"  "Are you happy with what you're getting?"

my answers to those would be Yes, and Yes...
Sure you could always make more, but I'm ok for now.

A bit of an aside, buy my lady and I started to tip uisng the dollar coins - seems more traditional to us.  Several performers, especially the strollers have commented saying they like.  One even said "nice, old school".  Would the addtional weight of the coinage be of any concern?  Just curious.

Dollar coins - fun to get, I tend to put them in my piggy bank so it's a fun surprise when counting for something special at the end of the year, but my partners (who split the hat) drop everything in the bank on Monday morning anyway, so it doesn't matter to them a whole lot.

For me - it's not the coin itself, it's the use of the coin as an expression of wanting to play. It's a token that says, "I want to be part of this game," and I tend to respond accordingly. Check out Hugh MacLeod on "social objects" at www.gapingvoid.com.

   I always tip, and My Laird and I will also try to draw attention to the hat (or  basket, bucket, box, what have you)  by making a show of donating.  If I have a child with me I will send them up with the tip. 
  I would say 25-40% of the audience will tip, more if the show is really good and there was a lot of audience interaction.

 
   
 

We always do. If our son is with us he will handle the deed :)

I'll add this -
- if you're a part-timer, chances are the tip ratio is 50% or less. You don't make it until you need it.
- if you're a music act and you're good, at least 25% of the people who give you any money at all should be buying a cd as well as or instead of tipping. If they aren't, rethink your act, your cd pitch, your hat pass, your cd packaging, and/or your actual music.
- if you're full-time and you're good, your tip ratio is over 75%. Being good is what gets you that ratio, getting that ratio lets you be full time, and being full-time is what gets you good, so it's a cycle.

But everything changes when you go to, say, Eastern Europe and you start performing in front of people who aren't aware there's a festival on right now, and live on $300 a month :) On the up side, the beach is grand.

We pull, as pretty standard .50 per person at ths show.  The stage we are currently on seats about 120, so, at capacity, we hit right around $60 per show.

Smaller shows (like the 10:30 Sunday morning show) are a crap shoot.  Sometimes nothing, sometimes more, but most often more - in the .75 to $1 per range.  Whether people feel sorry for you working so hard for a crowd of 25, or if with fewer people they feel there is no where to hide, I am uncertain.

L. Dale Walter
Director
Knights of Iron