Ticket Prices

[SterlingFan]

Thanks Sir Douglas ! I'm glad (as everyone else here I'm sure) that you're a member here to answer our questions & to help clarify things !

Are you still going to have a Winter event at Sterling this year ?

[Tygrkat]

Thank You for clarifying, Sir Douglas. With tax included in the price, it doesn't seem like that much more at all.

We'll definitely be taking advantage of the EarlyBird pricing and we're looking forward to seeing even more improvements in the coming seasons!

[Lady Amy of York]

Thank you also, Sir  Douglas  for  the clarifications !  It is  great  to have  a owner,  who takes  the  time   to listen   to  our  concerns  .    Keep  up the  good  work  !  I'm looking forward  to the new  shows, new picnic  areas,  and  other  improvements.  (  Don't forget  the bigger  privies  for  us  ladies  in  court  gowns  ! )     Have  a  happy  Thanksgiving  !

[IndeanaSunday]

I understand where the increase is coming from, but I still see $25 per person a very high price for a day out. I think part of what really bothers people is seeing these prices climb year after year. The first time I went (I was 17 and went with my boyfriend) tickets were $18 per person. And while this was high, it was plausible for a 17 year old. If I were 17 now and saw that tickets were $25 there is no way on God's green Earth I'd be able to come. Would love to, but can't. And while the Faire does have a very loyal and devoted fan-base, you can only survive for so long on the regulars before you need NEW patrons! With this kind of sticker shock I think it's very hard to encourage anyone to come for the first time, no matter how much advertising you do.

[ALS]

If I were 17 now and saw that tickets were $25 there is no way on God's green Earth I'd be able to come.

Thats because todays 17 year old lacks the gumtion to go out and get a part time job and the parents with the moxy to kick his/her posterior and make them go get one.

I understand where the increase is coming from, but I still see $25 per person a very high price for a day out.

Huh, I just paid $22 for a three hour I Remember Scorgies punk rock reunion concert and it was worth every penny. Again I guess its about where priorities are, if there on driving to another state to go to a faire because $25 for a ticket is to much for the one here than thats what they are and thats what the only avaliable option will become. It seems to me a shame that some one would put up the money to buy the show, put up a fortune to not just bring the place back to life but better yet start making improvements, and also spending the cash to open the site up for other themes like Screamers Hallow and Christmas and then get punished for it because they aren't financially able to apparently do it as a charity.

[IndeanaSunday]

Not to take this to a personal level, Sir, but I take serious offense to your generalization that all teenagers "lack the gumption" to work for their money. When I was 17 I was working two jobs, seven days a week, over 50 hours per week for duration of my summer break. I then proceeded to work 30 hours a week during the school year while also participating in 3 after-school clubs and maintaining my place in the top 10% of my class. So while your argument may be founded in a bit of truth, I feel that your arguments are lead primarily by presumptions, assumptions, and emotions more than logic or facts.


Glad to hear you had a good time at your concert though.

[ALS]

but I take serious offense to your generalization that all teenagers "lack the gumption" to work for their money. When I was 17 I was working two jobs, seven days a week, over 50 hours per week for duration of my summer break. I then proceeded to work 30 hours a week during the school year while also participating in 3 after-school clubs and maintaining my place in the top 10% of my class.

I'm glad to hear that you're the exception to the modern rule, I did as you did when I was 17 ( actually at a much younger age). I am a small business owner, belong to several small business organizations and speak not just from my personal expirience but from discussions with other business owners. The general expirience is that todays young folks don't want to work, if you hire them they have no work ethic, they don't show up when schedualed, they shirck when they do and the attitude is less than fun to deal with. I probably much more than you wish this was different. There are exceptions to the rule of course, one of my best employee's was a young fella that started with us at 15. He is the sole example I can site of some 10 teenagesr we've tried out over the last 7 eyars. The rate for the business folks i've talked to is about 15 youngesters to get one who stays on and is worth keeping.

I'm sorry if you find offense but you are the exception, so my comment was not meant for you. This is pretty off topic so I will not comment further regarding this matter.

[Cobaltblu]

Well I am back!

I got back into the country last week after spending several months overseas and noticed the ticket price jump.

I saw a lot of improvements last year (over 2007) which likely cost a lot of money seeing how Doug bought the faire AND had to put up operating costs for 2008.  I heard 2008 was a good season and I am sure there will be improvements for 2009 also.

I plan to buy the season pass so the per-day cost for attendance is still quite a deal compared to buying regular attendance for each day.  Yes it costs a dollar or two more but that means that maybe I will buy one less bottled water.

I think the ticket price jump isn't so bad; people probably will buy one less bottled water or one less cookie.

Besides the gas price last year was like 2 dollars more PER GALLON in 2008.  The decrease in gas price alone will more than make up for slightly higher ticket prices.

Regards,

CB

[Ozium]

WELCOME BACK !

Yea but what has not gone up i guess.

[Drake Starsong]

Man I'm jumpin in this conversation a bit late, but lets face it, no one likes to see prices rise. For me personally it depends on what it is. $25 to spend a day one of the few places that truly make me happy is a small price to pay. Yeah it sucks filling my Jeep up to drive 2 1/2 hours from Buffalo, but oh well.

If I wasn't seeing any improvements or changes I'd definitely question the reasoning behind it, but I definitely want to thank Sir Douglas for all the effort into SRF! It was such a nice surprise last season to see the additions and I look forward to more changes this season as well!!

[Aaroncois]

1st weekend offers free admission for children) Thank you all and we will look forward to seeing all you this summer

This is huge for my family. We have three kids and being able to go for just the price of adult admission is wonderful. We've got our advance-sale tickets in hand, now we're just praying for good weather on July 4th weekend.

[Xantrawler]

If you don't mind input from a newbie this is my thoughts. Now, this is our first festival so I have no past experience to draw upon. If I'm out of line or wrong on any of my assumptions, I'm sure someone will set me straight.
While I can understand the problems associated with families and the price I believe in comparison to other forms of entertainment this is a good deal. In the price you have a number of shows to chose from, in addition to wandering performers. It sounds as if you are able to interact, to an extent, with some of the improv performance. The organizers do their best to bring in the best acts and performers there are. This Festival runs for a limited time, but there are still expenses and upkeep that occur throughout the year.
That said lets look at other forms of entertainment: Professional ball games . . .  have you seen those tickets? Stage plays, outside of community theaters they can be pricy. Anyone been to the movies lately? Shall we talk about amusement parks? Except for the last, none of these venues give you a whole day worth of enjoyment. Dollar for dollar I believe the Festivals give a good return on the buck.
That is my thought and I thank you for allowing me to voice it.

[IndeanaSunday]

If you don't mind input from a newbie this is my thoughts. Now, this is our first festival so I have no past experience to draw upon. If I'm out of line or wrong on any of my assumptions, I'm sure someone will set me straight.
While I can understand the problems associated with families and the price I believe in comparison to other forms of entertainment this is a good deal. In the price you have a number of shows to chose from, in addition to wandering performers. It sounds as if you are able to interact, to an extent, with some of the improv performance. The organizers do their best to bring in the best acts and performers there are. This Festival runs for a limited time, but there are still expenses and upkeep that occur throughout the year.
That said lets look at other forms of entertainment: Professional ball games . . .  have you seen those tickets? Stage plays, outside of community theaters they can be pricy. Anyone been to the movies lately? Shall we talk about amusement parks? Except for the last, none of these venues give you a whole day worth of enjoyment. Dollar for dollar I believe the Festivals give a good return on the buck.
That is my thought and I thank you for allowing me to voice it.

Excellent observation! I honestly hadn't ever thought of it that way.

[A Poor Player]

There's this to consider regarding ticket prices. If they were significantly lower, there would a lot more people in line for everything; and especially the WC, because with more ready change at hand; people would be buying twice as much beer!

[Dorian Mallory]

I feel that the money my wife and I pay for a day out, we get there at 10am and leave around 6:30-7pm, is worth the entertainment value.  You can't go any place else and see this many shows for that price.  I feel that it comes down to if you feel like you are getting your money's worth, which we do. 

We only go for a day every year, but we start saving our money for the festival for the next year starting the week after we go.  We buy our tickets early to save a few bucks.  We only buy what we really like, which usually ends up being more Renae Taylor prints, and we are careful on how much we spend on food and drink.

I figure if you want to save a bit of money you could always pack a picnic and go out and eat when you get hungry.  My parents used to do this when we were kids and going here.

Looking at other nearby festivals, the price seems to be about on par.

I just hope Sterling never ever goes to food tickets.