How much to get into a Barn Dance

Subject: How much to get into a Barn Dance?
From: GUEST,Les Jones
Date: 09 Oct 02 - 12:30 PM

I am involved in organising a Barn Dance for fun and to raise money for an International Day of Dance. We will have:

- a quality room that will take around 130 people sitting and dancing

- a bar but no food

- a live band and caller

- plenty of safe parking at a well known venue

What do organisers generally charge for such an event in the Greater Manchester (UK) or similar area?

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Bernard
Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:07 PM

Around 6 or 7 quid, usually.

Have you sorted the band and caller yet? If not, PM Spot the Dog - his new band 'Boneshaker' are making their debut at the Swinton Festival on Friday October 25th! But thy're only charging 3.50...

Don't tell him I told you, but it's really the Kamikaze band with a few slight changes...

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: GUEST,Les Jones
Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:08 PM

Well Les sounds like a fantastic event. I think people will pay as much as ninepence but I could be wrong

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: GUEST,Les Jones
Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:11 PM

Thanks Bernard, you snuck whilst I was replying to my own post. Just casting round for a band now. Where can I contact said band?

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:30 PM

Via me if you like, Les - PM me here or, if you want to retain Guest status and cannot PM, email me at [e-mail]

We are only charging £3.50 a head as Bernard says but bear in mind that we are subsidised and do not want to make a profit for charity or otherwise!

I would suggest a fiver. Presuming you are getting the hall reasonably and can negotiate a good deal with the band, 120 people at a fiver each should realise a nice little earner!

If you know simeone who does catering you may want to sell food and take a cut as well?

Cheers

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: GUEST,Peter from Essex
Date: 09 Oct 02 - 04:17 PM

Don't undersell your event. I would expect to pay between 6 and 8 pounds depending on the band, more if the event had a late license.

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: greg stephens
Date: 09 Oct 02 - 06:08 PM

Well the Boat Band are the Best in the Northwest. PM me for details.

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 09 Oct 02 - 07:56 PM

Ahhhh - but you Essex blokes are rich and us Northern gits aint...;-)

But it's for charity so charge as much as you want!

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 04:51 AM

Do your sums before deciding on a final ticket price. Add up what you're paying for venue hire, fee for the band, printing costs for publicity, telephone costs, catering costs if you're going to put food on, cost of an advert in the local paper/folk mag, and anything else that may crop up. Add on to that however much profit you want to make. Divide that total by the number of tickets you're going to sell (crystal ball at the ready...). You may want to take into account that you may not sell all the tickets, so add on another bit to the ticket price just in case. That exercise should give you an idea of a realistic ticket price for your outgoings. If it falls too far above the six or seven quid mark, you're unlikely to sell many tickets. If it falls below, you're probably onto a winner, but don't undercharge.

I've organised an unsubsidised barn dance type event in the past, and managed to break even. I did the catering myself rather than pay a caterer - people do expect some food at these events, even if it's only butties.

Good luck.

Joan

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 04:54 AM

That last post was from me, before I realised my cookie needed resetting.

Joan

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: John J
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 05:03 AM

I reckon £4 - £6, certainly around South Manchester / North Cheshire.

John

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: IanC
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 05:06 AM

Probably depends on the cost of the band (so get a cheap one) but £5 is plenty if you're not doing food (and I'm in "rich" Hertfordshire), especially if you're making plenty on the bar. For a charity do with good food, you might ask £10.

:-)

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 06:36 AM

£7- is the going rate for the 'Heath Ceilidh' in Cardiff, run several times a year, always with a good turn out, live band and caller. A bar is provided (with real ale on draught) and a very small selection of snacks

Nigel

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Pied Piper
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 07:09 AM

Hi Bernard.
    Boneshaker is most definitely not "the Kamikaze band with a few slight changes". Our approach to the music is completely different. For a start we don't have a kit drummer or electric Bass, the rhythmic force comes from the tunes themselves and the way we arrange them. We also use a wider range of musical textures and dynamics. The instrumental line-up involves various combinations of Melodeon, Concertina, Guitar (electric and acoustic), Mandolin, Recorders, Whistles, Bagpipes, Bombards, and some subtle Bodhran.
   All the best PP

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 07:30 AM

Les,

One way to increase the take is to buy your own booze from a supermarket (or better still, a real ale wholesaler), and staff the bar with volunteers. Sell the drink cheaply, but above cost price, and donate the difference to charity. Reward bar staff by allowing them to purchase any unsold stock at a reasonable discount. Your local publicans will probably take a dim view of this - but provided it's a one-off charitable event and not a regular commercial operation, they have no serious grounds for complaint. Alternatively, if you need to stay on good terms with your local pub landlord, offer them the bar franchise (on reasonable terms).   

Another good way to increase your takings is to organize a raffle. Ask around for donations (unwanted presents, home-made cakes, etc) and supplement them with a few bought-in bottles. Calling the numbers and distributing the prizes will give the band a welcome break.

Wassail!

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: clansfolk
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 07:40 AM

WyrePierBand - hold regular "Square Dances" / Ceilidhs in Lancashire - normally charge an entrance fee of £5.00 which includes a HOT POT supper - with 100 to 150 attending which would give a profit of £1.50 a head plus the raffle about £100-£200 - prizes (If for charity you should get these donated by local shops etc...)

These are regular events, a "one off" event could charge more for admission etc..... depending on local support for the charity.

With a full 130 venue £200-£300 would be about an average profit to the charity. More if you get the band/caller hall etc. donated!!!


Pete

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 08:05 AM

We attended one recently which was "Bring a snack to share and a donation for the caller." It was a private social event at the home of a member of the only band in our area that does these, and they played for free as the family's annual party. Snacks overflowed the fiid table, and there was plenty for the caller. The caller, BTW, did something I have not seen-- maybe it's common, I don't get to these often--- he wore a wireless headphone mic and danced/demonstrated with us out on the floor as he called!

~Susan

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: jonm
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 08:05 AM

Thoughts:

If you ask a local pub landlord or the venue to provide a bar, make sure you discuss beer prices beforehand to avoid profiteering. You also need to explain about folkies, or they'll provide lots of lager and no decent ale.

Don't sell food separately - lay something on and include in the ticket price. You should find a local cafe or sandwich bar that can provide a cold buffet for you to collect on the day for a reasonable price. I'm sure all the organisers will donate raffle prizes - but not too many!

Budget on selling half your tickets when you do the costing - and just in case, decide how much you are prepared to pay to cover a shortfall. The band will want payment, even if nobody turns up.

If you've never run one of these before, agree a cut-off cancellation date and a cancellation fee with the band.

Create flyers and leave them everywhere you go (to access like-minded people); the band members are often a good source of free publicity too, and can leave flyers at their other gigs.

Check the acoustics of the venue and power supply availability before you talk to the band.

Finally, if it's raising money for a good cause, people may pay a little extra for tickets, but under no circumstances expect people to give an agreed service for a reduced fee. One organiser tried to fob me off with a reduction in payment on the night because it was a charity do. When he gets out of hospital..... However, we do often return a portion of the fee, once paid, as a donation if it's a good cause.

Good luck, have fun.

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: fiddler
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 08:11 AM

And Check that the Hall you have booked has the appropriate PEL.

This problem is going to spread like a plague.

If it hasn't get hold of your local MP and get him to sign the EDM about it!

See Session that never was!

I'm gonna get dead boring we have to make a noise to get this one sorted out. It is going to proliferate. Many ahlls and pubs do not have the right licence and some could not get it!

Hey ho ignore this one if you like - I'm just a bit raw worried and allsorts at present.

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 08:32 AM

You can't sell alcohol without a licence and most licensed premises will expect to sell their own. The get-around is to offer free beer, but suggest a "subscription".

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 08:37 AM

Thread drift:

Pied Piper, is that the same Kamikaze band that Mark Stanley used to play guitar for?

Ed

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: GUEST,Mr Red - a keen ceilidh dancer
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 08:51 AM

Who are going to the dance?
general public, regular dancers or EFDSS level?
beginners need simple dances, regulars prefer more oomph and complication in the sequences and EFDSS don't lift their feet off the ground and after 40 years (average) prefer longer sequences still.
In truth there is smooth spectrum of people but you gotta put the handles somewhere.
Get the type of people "stated" and after that the caller, band, booze, interval etc become an easier choice.

Me? Not too loud and at a pace that you can jump to so no Tickled Pink!!
Bismarks or Captain Swing (own caller) are a good compromise.

For a few ideas join e-ceildh or look on Webfeet (go via cresby.com for the latter and the former is listed on there but e-ceilidh is an e-mail service so not for the casual encounter.

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 09:13 AM

It is the same Mark Stanley, Ed - But Mark is now another member of Boneshaker! Small world init...;-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Ed.
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 09:36 AM

Indeed so, Dave

I used to work with Mark at Salford Probation.

Do give him my regards when you see him.

Ed

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 09:39 AM

Will do, Ed - Why don't you pop down and see him at our Ceilidh on the 25th? About 1/2 mile from my house.

See you there?

Cheers (Sorry about the thread hijack!)

Dave

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: GUEST,Peter from Essex
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 04:41 PM

I agree with Mr Red, try eCeilidh. Double check on PELs then check again. If the venue usually hires for private functions they may say that they are licensed menaing liquor and music & dance. More than one promoter has been caught out like that.

The other thing is that events don't sell themselves, be prepared to work your arse off and want nothing better than to crash out in a darkened room when the music starts on the night.

Subject: RE: How much to get into a Barn Dance
From: Bert
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 07:07 PM

And don't forget The British Association of American Square Dance Clubs