PHOTOS: Short lead time affected Music Fest turnout — Walters
The BVI Tourist Board’s Events Manager, Dirk Walters, has raised questions over whether the just-concluded BVI Music Fest event was adequately promoted and whether the government received real value for its investment.
The government announced just two months ago that it would pump an estimated $670,000 into the Music Fest; however, some critics have put that figure past $1 million when considering preparations for the staging area.
Walters acknowledged what he described as the overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees regarding the venue and overall atmosphere. He concluded that the event showcased exceptional performances from local and international artistes.
However, he remained hesitant about declaring the event a complete success, citing the absence of a financial report and precise figures on ticket sales and overall turnout. The event, which took place over three days, experienced fluctuating attendance levels, with the highest turnout on Saturday night, in contrast to less impressive numbers on Friday and Sunday.
The Events Manager partially attributed the lower numbers to the short lead time for marketing and promotion. “We could have done better on the numbers, especially the Friday and the Sunday night,” Walters admitted. “I think a big part of it has to do with our lead time as well, and having a better marketing and promotion months out ahead of time and things like that.”
While the final financial report is still pending, Walters emphasised that the event aimed to stimulate the local economy, encouraging spending across various sectors, including car rentals, accommodations, taxis, and restaurants. He pointed out that the economic impact goes beyond ticket sales, encompassing revenue from vendors and concessions as well.
Despite the lower-than-anticipated turnout on some nights, Walters maintained a positive outlook, emphasising that the festival represents a starting point for future improvements. “These things happen, you know? I’ve seen bigger events with less numbers as well over the years, so as I say, it’s a start, but, you know, we going to get better as we go along,” he asserted.
Below are scenes from night-3 of the BVI Music Fest captured by BVI News photographer Andre ‘Shadow’ Dawson.
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I do not want to attend this sort of event, and if there had been better publicity in advance I would have booked a flight to somewhere else. Mediocre music at best, played far to loud and with too much distortion – you can hear better at Sebastians a couple of times a week.
You get an Excuse,
You get an Excuse,
EVERYBODY gets an EXCUSE!!!!!!
The Music Fest should NOT have taken place THEN TO COME WITH THIS RUBBISH ABOUT SHORT LEAD TIME??!!???!!
You know it was a short lead time but was defending straight until it FLOPPED wasting taxpayers’ money.
Whether or NOT there was longer time to plan it would not have produced a profit!
Someone made a comment on social media about the noise over the weekend and because of that person’s ethnicity the majority of people lambasted the poster.
The lack of respect and utter disregard for the person’s opinion was atrocious. To add, telling the individual if they don’t like it to leave or go back where they came from….these same people want dual citizenship and wouldn’t like anyone to say that to them.
I am from right here and it’s disgraceful the way people claim BVI Love yet show they are hateful, bitter souls.
These young @$$h0!#$ just effing up our money constantly
Okay, we understand. Now take festival over there so that the cost of reclaiming will.not go to waste. Also. The parking situation in Road Town will not deteriorate when you will have to ask for persons to refrain from parking of the festival grounds.
Let’s change the venue. In doing so, it will bring a whole new perspective on the route for Joubert, parade etc. Think about it.
It will interfere with persons trying to get to the hospital, or even catching a ferry.
A whole lot can be experienced for this change. Let’s try it.
Making this newly prepped area as the site for Festival Village makes sense to me. Right on the sea, open air, fresh and pleasant. Let the old Festival site be what it is, essentially a parking lot, hemmed in by fences and dual carriage way.
The new grounds could also be a venue for all sorts of other artistic events; outdoor theatre, dance, music, etc…
As well as a sea view spot for cruise ship tourists and locals alike, to get some fresh air.
It’s too unfortunate that insufficient planning time marred the potential financial success of the Music event.
But how about making lemonade out of those lemons!
Okay, we understand. Now take festival over there so that the cost of reclaiming will.not go to waste. Also. The parking situation in Road Town will not deteriorate when you will have to ask for persons to refrain from parking of the festival grounds.
Let’s change the venue. In doing so, it will bring a whole new perspective on the route for Joubert, parade etc. Think about it.
It will interfere with persons trying to get to the hospital, or even catching a ferry.
A whole lot can be experienced for this change. Let’s try it.
It’s amazing how they knew the pitfalls and shortcomings beforehand and still dive in head first. Now they are gasping for breath.
It was a good turn out!! Hey but a lot of the ladies need to work on your belly!! Geez I swear the majority of you’ll was pregnant!! The 70th is here tone that body up!!
i bout to say the same but mines ain no better hahaha
WTFFFFFF She Reen got on??
what starts bad ends bad
This is the 2nd time this harden bullheaded dude blew hundreds of thousands of dollars doing @$$ishness.
Needs a vote of no confidence
PLEASE DONT NOT MISTAKE THE SHAY AND JALENA FOR TOURISTS BECAUSE THEY ARE LOCAL BORN HERES
DURKY AND THE SLOW MAN TOO DOGGONE BULLHEADED
So who was involved in planning this? “The Events Manager partially attributed the lower numbers to the short lead time for marketing and promotion. “We could have done better on the numbers, especially the Friday and the Sunday night,” Walters admitted. “I think a big part of it has to do with our lead time as well, and having a better marketing and promotion months out ahead of time and things like that.”
Could it be….drum roll please…The Events Manager?
I DOUBT WE MADE BACK THE MONEY SPENT ON PREPARING THE AREA….2 FOOLS {who never sold a candy yet} EXPERIMENTED WITH TAXPAYERS MONEY {and put us in a deficit}
The three men who made all the money preparing the grounds didn’t even show up to none of the shows…..I am talking about Steeeeeeeeve, A$$if and White Head.
Asif and Steve making all the money. Government giving them all the work.
Steve too busy drinking rum by Rhymer day and night
Such an extremely talented man but always in a bar drinking
Is anyone surprised? Of course there wasn’t enough time to market it properly. Who remembers the “fundraising” National Parks Trust Concert in 2011?
You idiots don’t plan for anything. Everything is done haphazardly that’s why the end results are always mediocre. August Festival is right around the corner but don’t hear a word about it. So if an even is not advertised and promoted how will people make plans to attend. This is worse than third world behavior. At. Thomas is right next door take a page out of their book. St. Thomas 2024 Carnival was off the rails. Look how long their line up of events were on the internet. The place was flooded with people. Set of Jerks.
“The government announced just two months ago that it would pump an estimated $670,000 into the Music Fest; however, some critics have put that figure past $1 million when considering preparations for the staging area”.
Who approved this expense and where did the money come from?
COI look into this>
“whether the government received real value for its investment.” Im confused, i thought the money invested belonged to the people and not the government. Should be wondering if the people received real value and not if the government did.
Shouldn’t the Financial Secretary take some of this blame???????
I am no lover of these shows so I will never go but from the BEGINNING, people been saying it DOESNT MAKE SENSE to have this show since there’s one in CGB. Did the premier and Dirk listen No. They are bull headed. Take that. The event was a total flop. If you have it next year it’s going to be the same. People have common sense. Look at so many things that money could have gone towards. Election can’t come soon enough.
Government should not be in charge of a music festival. It should be on private hands and then they can spend as much as they like.It is not for the Premier to decide if it is a good investment. Get the hands out of the cookie jar…..
You’re absolutely right about that (government should not be involved in activities such as this), but if it were not, the politicians would not be able to use this as let another way to funnel taxpayers’ money to their cronies. That’s why there’s a “Festivals and Fairs Committee,” so as to institutionalize this soft form of graft.
Let a private promoter take over this and invest its own funds in developing and putting on such an event, and if it can make a nice profit, so be it.
This event shouldn’t have made it further than the first planning meeting. Obviously it was going to flop because the man is right: there wasn’t enough lead time or publicity.
From a health and safety perspective attendees should have been counted in and out: so please release those figures so we can see how many people attended? Looking at the pictures maybe 500 over three nights…
To be clear, this was never about culture it was always a way to provide a few in the community with a $600,000 windfall, or maybe $1 million as it seems.
Cookie jar still being robbed Governor!
“THE MUSIC FEST WAS A BIG SUCCESS DESPITE WHAT THE NAY SAYERS ARE SAYING”
What a pathetic waste of money at a time when our country on its knees. Yes we need entertainment and culture but first we need education for our children, crime off our streets, ghuts properly cleaned before storm season, roads that aint breaking our cars…..this so called government has to go.
THE BVI IS DANCING AWAY ITS FUTURE
My head hurts thinking about this BS while we continue to pay these minister don keys on the 15th & 30th monthly
I need go lay down in one dem craters ayo deceptively calling potholes…..wake me up when this circus over
Dirky really suprise me his way of doing and saying things
You all are shameful and clueless, if you think advertisement would’ve made a difference you’re so wrong.
I wonder if “*irky” know he only get this event manager job so he could “shut up” like the rest of them..