There have been doubts about the HullabaLOU festival’s lineup and ticket sales, and today, festival organizers with Churchill Downs Entertainment gave an update:
The organizers of the HullabaLOU music festival say they’re counting on late-minute ticket purchases to drive up attendance.
The three-day event will be held at Churchill Downs in one month, and about 40 thousand tickets have been sold. Churchill Downs Entertainment president Steve Sexton says he’s pleased with that number, but expects more tickets to be sold right before or during the festival.
“When we studied and talked to other music festivals, they literally told us—including the Jazzfest, which we have a partnership with—that early on, sales move at a moderate pace, and as you get closer to the event, including the day of, they pick up substantially,” he says.
Of the tickets that have been sold, Sexton says most of them were purchased by people outside of Louisville.
“We’ve sold over 150 tickets in California, we’ve sold over 200 tickets in South Carolina, over 200 tickets in Florida, over 125 tickets in New York,” he says.
Sexton says CDE did not set an official goal for ticket sales, but he would be pleased with 90 thousand. The festival headliners are the Dave Matthews Band, Bon Jovi and Kenny Chesney.
Your thoughts?
1 comment
June 25, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Kevin Janes
Sluggish ticket sales? First, it should come as no surprise that sales in this economy are down.
Second, book a lineup of artists that have a bit more 21st century cultural relevance and you may sell a few more tix. Absolutely nothing wrong with seasoned veteran acts, so long as they’re still producing quality work, and not resting on their nostalgic laurels.
And why relegate the bluegrass stage to the paddock area outside the main festival grounds where they’ll be nothing more than background music?
Consider re-appropriating your cash instead on a three-day Forecastle Festival ticket, where at least your experience won’t be so predictable.