Festival and Events Manager, Val Cuffy, has announced that a few structural changes will be done at the venue of the 20th edition of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF).
Changes will include moving the ticket booth, a bigger processing center, the cutting back on the number of bars and an increase in lighting.
“We are going to move the ticket booth from its existing location because we realized last year there was some congestion there,” he explained. “We will announce the new location which is not too far from where it is.”
He said also that a bigger processing center will be created.
“We are going to push back the tent, the stage in the village to create more space,” he stated.
Cuffy stated further that the organizing committee plans to cut back on the number of bars at the venue.
“Last year we had close to 16 bars, which we felt that was too many and it created a lot congestion and for health and safety reasons we have to cut back on that,” he noted.
He mentioned that the prices for bars this year will not be the same as last year.
“If you are not prepared to pay an increased price when we call you just say so because we have a long list of people who are willing to pay,” Cuffy stated.
He went on to say that the committee hopes to include some Carnival bands to create a welcoming presence.
He said the lightings will be increased.
Meantime; organizers are introducing what is called a Signature VVIP Lounge Experience for the WCMF this year.
The idea was introduced by J Astaphan’s and Co. Ltd in 2013 and that company has decided to continue that initiative in 2017.
“We are going to take it to a much higher level,” Executive Director of J Astaphan & Co. Ltd, Gisele Astaphan said. “So we are committed to raising the bar and giving you a much different experience than we did in 2013 and 2014.”
She is of the view that the VVIP Signature Lounge experience will attract a whole new market, “because some people would like to come, but they don’t want to stand up all night, the comfort and the ambiance of having front stage access which we do have.”
Astaphan believes that the idea adds value to the event.
“The idea is if you attract people to come into this country the economic stimulation that happens, the ripple effect to the hoteliers, the restaurants…the aim personally of us getting involved is to get this economy growing,” she remarked.
Tickets for the VVIP Signature Lounge cost EC$650 or US$250 until October 15th and will cost $750 after that date.
Tickets are sold at Astaphans and available online via ticketpal.com.
The package includes: park entry- three nights, special park entry, ushered entrance to venue, welcome drink/Mimosa or Prosecco, segmented all night food service, dedicated bar areas, security, private front stage access, meet and greet with at least one major artiste per night, a chance to win a backstage pass to meet artistes, private washroom facilities and makeup refresh area among others.
Season tickets are on special costing EC$250. Tickets are available from the DFC office in Roseau or at Bull’s Eye Pharmacy. That special goes on until September 15th.
Tickets are also available online on tickepal Caribbean. The nightly tickets are US$48, season tickets cost US$125 and VIP tickets are also available online.
Featured artistes will include Mavado, Zouk All-Stars and Bunji Garlin & Fay-Ann Lyons.
The 20th edition of the WCMF is slated for October 27-29 at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium in Roseau.
New ideas are good but some, no thanks. No vendors outside, less poor people bars setup, and now adding an Asta front stage area that Asta sell the tickets at THEIR store or on THEIR web space? Thanks Val, you are being elboewd out, for that reason, I’m Out.
Suggestion: Make sure your top international artists perform for more than a half hour. I am sure you are paying them well.
I am curious what percentage of the VVIP tickets Astaphans gets to keep.
The ticket booths should be placed in the processing area. There should be at least 5 cashiers. Security will be placed beyond the cashiers. One of the problems solved.
Eh ben, it looks like they do not want poor malaway there again.
I hope the VVIP will be filled with PAYING patrons! Allu want to give everybody and their grandmother free ticket when allu finish allu coming with talk about no profit! Some people have to save all year to ensure they can buy their ticket, and others can buy 3 and 4 without a squeeze on one month’s salary getting free ticket! LET THEM PAY!
This has been my view for several years. I am aware of too many people who are able to pay coming to the event for free. There are people who get free tickets because of their positions but never attend the event. The ticket was printed at a cost . Prudent management is what we need.
“Last year we had close to 16 bars, which we felt that was too many and it created a lot congestion and for health and safety reasons we have to cut back on that,” he noted.
Meantime; organizers are introducing what is called a Signature VVIP Lounge Experience for the WCMF this year….
Cut back on the bars where the local man comes to make some extra money for himself and introduce a lounge where an established enterprise makes more money out of the festival….
Awah wii dread! I understand the notion of up-scaling the event but not at the demise of the little man…
Are we to understand that J Astaphan and Co are now running a business within a business and creaming off the high rollers? As a business venture I have no objection to that but in that case let them run the entire event. What I can not accept that we have to finance the WCMF through the public purse to enable private enterprise to make a profit at the expense of the tax payer.
I suggest that we remove this festival from the Festivals Commission entirely and hand it over to the business establishment, who reap the financial rewards anyway. Government can benefit too through licence fees and the extra revenue generated through vat, without having to spend a penny of the people’s money.
These are some good points.