Did Music Fest vendors make a profit?
Although Premier Dr Natalio Wheatly said the BVI Music Fest would provide revenue for small business owners, it seems as though vendors who paid to sell products at the event did not make the profit they hoped for.
There was a total of four food vendors, two of whom paid to be there. They spent $750 to operate a vending area at the event for the three nights.
One of the vendors who paid to sell at the event told BVI News they believed the tickets were too expensive, which caused people to stay away from the event. The vendor — who, like the others, asked not to be named — said this low patron turnout affected their sales.
In the weeks leading up to the event, prominent members of the society had called for residents to boycott the music festival, which was seen as a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars. Some of the vendors who spoke with our news centre said they believed these calls for a boycott were somewhat effective and this negatively affected their sales.
At the end of the three-day festival, the BVI Tourist Board’s Event Manager, Dirk Walters said inadequate lead time for marketing and promotion may have been the leading cause of the low turnout.
He remained hesitant about declaring the event a complete success, citing the absence of a financial report with precise figures on ticket sales and overall turnout.
The government announced just two months ago that it would pump an estimated $670,000 into the Music Fest. However, some critics have placed that figure past $1 million when considering preparations for the staging area.
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He was told not to keep it and the money collected can’t even pay for the Ground’s preparations
no, they’ll be lucky to break even
We all know that it was a loss of our tax payers money but I really doubt that we will ever be given a truthful financial accounting .
You can’t expect people to pay so much and buy expensive drinks and food. People eat and drink the cheaper drinks then go there drunk. It’s going to happen for the other music fest cgb and village
How much did a ticket to the event cost for one adult? Were tickets for a child any less?
Knowing our government they probably may receive a grant or subsidy LOL……….
And there never will be a financial report.
Anything the bvi government put there hands on its a failure,they have the idea of what they want but they don’t have the knowledge of getting it done,first of all,look at the population and know which artists to bring,think about the income that some employees work for,the government can’t do marketing or the person who they put in place doesn’t have knowledge about marketing strategies.
Just friends and family of the HOA.
Music Fest is obviously the launch pad for more criminal breach of trust indictments for senior civil service managers and the 13 elected members of the HOA. The wheels of justice barely move in the BVI but eventually all these conspirators will be brought to justice by the relentless legal system supported by the UK.
Them pay West artist, that f…… Clown in jail hiding so he won’t get kill boys and man waiting for he
The best music fest ever was when Mahoney was running it. They took it from him and it was never the same again.
Big sis
Yall aine notice all the events costing the same. Get use to it! Look the one down CGB is more, with no vendors allowed but them own so imagine. The WOW coming up is same ticket pricing. Note watch ayo see the village tickets will be the same n more. Inflation folks everything gone up, even fetes lol
The ticket prices is a direct reflection of the cost of holding such an event period. You need to consider the following:
1. artist performance fees
2. Artist rider (determined by travel party size, type of airline tickets, hotel accommodations and the number of days, and per diem rates, ground transportation.
3. Stage, lighting and sound
4. Advertising
The above are standard costs which have to be considered and met. FYI artist performance fees have increased over the years and also vary. What you may have paid a for artist 5-10 years ago irrrespective of an established relationship is not what you pay today. So it is insane to think that you especially a private promoter can have an event and sell tickets less than the current advertised rates, break even and dare hope to even turn a profit. It pays to travel beyond the shared of BVI to understand 1. that these prices are normal if not low. 2. Not because you see sponsors necessarily means it’s a substantial financial commitment. It can be goods in kind etc. So instead of criticizing a private promoter on how they price their event, if it appeals to you and you can afford attend. If you cannot afford to attend, please do not seek to undermine it by posting baseless thoughts.