The long lines that were experienced during the 2005 Doyle Burrows junkanoo parade for ticket sales has diminished leaving organizers hoping that persons will purchase tickets for the Phil Cooper 2006 New Years Day parade by today.
Unlike the Boxing Day parade whereas the popular seats were sold in a matter of days, sales for the New Years day parade are lagging behind.
According to Colin Wells CEO of Carib Ticketing sales for the upcoming parade has been slower than years past, but he anticipates that persons may decide to purchase tickets at the last minute.
“Traditionally Boxing Day tickets sell very quickly and traditionally New Years sales are a lot slower simply because the parade is not as well attended and secondly after the Christmas rush a lot of people don’t have disposable income to purchase tickets,” Mr. Wells said.
In fact at the ticket booth closing time on Friday Mr. Wells reported that there was an increase of persons purchasing tickets for the parade which brought sales to the point where it normally is just days before the parade.
He also noted that ticket sales were almost to 50 percent.
“The seats that are available for the New Years Day parade is almost 10,000 and right now the seats available are a little over 4,000,” Mr. Wells said.
He added that he was optimistic that most of the remaining seats would have been sold by the time of the parade.
“I am not expecting a total sellout but on the same hand the tickets that are not sold will probably be in the Shirley Street area,” Mr. Wells said.
During the Boxing Day Parade tickets sales soared to 97 percent with nearly all seats completely sold.
“Boxing Day is pretty much always a sell out. As a matter of fact we saw a significant increase in persons coming to purchase tickets early for that parade. We also more than double the amount of online tickets for Boxing Day
Mr. Wells said for future parades he would appreciate if ticket sales can start earlier compared to the year’s parade when ticket outlets opened just days before the Junior Junkanoo Parade, which was a result of a late contract signing between the government and the ticketing company.
Due to the late receipt of tickets bought by online customers, The CEO apologized to the customers of Mailbox Etc. stating that the first few days of ticket sales were very hectic and therefore resulted in a few delays.
However he encouraged persons to continue to purchase tickets at Caribtickets.com ensuring that the tickets will be available at the pick up locations at Mailbox Etc. Harbour branch or the Sir Kendal Issacs Gymnasium.
The New Years Parade gets on the way on Monday morning at 12 with six category A groups, twelve category B groups, three category C groups and six category D groups.
In the A category the reigning Boxing Day champions, The Valley Boys will kick of the parade with its theme My Bahamas, The greatest tourist destination in the world, with Roots in second with its theme Let’s Play Cards, they would be followed by One Family “Egypt- Ancient Glory and Majesty”, The Music Makers fourth with The Bahama Arawaks, Prodigal Sons will come out the gate fifth with its theme Africa Awaking and Saxons will finish up the A category with United We Stand, Message of Hope for a better world.
By: Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
