quote:
Originally posted by Majestic Fan1982
Myself and my 12 year old brother went to this event tonight. 5 dollars to get into everything but it keeps the trouble away so its worth it.
Sure, It's worth it... for Saint Anthony's. I've been told that they make about $250,000 just from the admission gate. On the other hand, from everything I've been told, attendance is down since they started the paid gate (which affects spending on the midway, concessionaires/vendors revenue).
Majestic Fan: Is your brother in the age category that gets in the gate free ? (I don't recall what the ages are for free admission), If so, are those who are admitted free given some type type of wristband ? I'm just curious whether or not those admitted free are counted in the attendance figures. Although I was at the festival, I didn't even take notice whether or not kids had admission wristbands.
About Saint Anthony's attendance figures... For years, Saint Anthony's had been trumpeting that the attendance for the festival was approx. 300,000 (which I always thought was bogus, because thats about the attendance of the Delaware State Fair, which is a much larger event). They never had a gate or anyway to really track attendance. When they started the paid gate a couple years ago, all of a sudden, the attendance was around 100,000 (which Saint Anthony's blamed on heat, etc.). This year, in a newspaper article just prior to the start of the festival, Saint Anthony's was projecting this year's attendance to be around 75,000. I just wish there was a way to know the actual attendance figures of the festival. Although, I'm sure the festival really doesn't care what the actual figures are as long they end up with a substantial pile of money from gate admissions [:p].
quote:
Originally posted by Majestic Fan1982
I dont even think they do a wrist band night at saint anthonys and its an 8 day festival. I didnt see it on the website or in any delaware news paper. I know majestic does wrist bands but if they dont do it at this event thats crazy.
I don't recall Saint anthony's ever having a POP.
What they have done for a number of years in the past was an "Early Bird Special" where all ries were reduced by one ticket Monday thru Thursday from 5:30 to 7:00. Unfortunately, I don't know if they still do that or not as when I go I usually go on a weekend and I haven't paid much attention to the ads for the festival in the past few years [:I].
The Italian festival isn't what it used to be.
Sure, they still have all the outdoor cafes/cabarets and the live bands and they still have the big "Procession Of Saints" that parades through the neighborhood streets (aka "Little Italy") on the last Sunday.
The Italian Festival used to always have some type of free attraction/act. I remember a high wire walk (I was told this year at the festival that the performer who performed that feat at the festival that year was Tino Wallenda Zoppe). Other free acts over the years: a sky wheel (I could be wrong, but I'm thinking it was called a "wheel of death"), a double sway pole act, a high dive act, and for a few years in a row, "The Lemoines" performed a motorcycle high wire act where they rode a motorcycle up a high wire stretched across the festival grounds, to the top of Saint Anthony's Church bell tower. They no longer have the free acts.
Saint Anthony's used to raffle off a car and had a $10,000. cash drawing, They no longer do that either.
Edited by user
Monday, June 14, 2010 8:24:19 PM
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Reason: Not specified
"Don't forget to be half fair and give a little credit to the small concessionaire"