So it’s that time again…
And you’ve got your flight, vacation time mapped out, costume deposit paid and have hopefully secured accommodations (HOPEFULLY)!
I think at some point every potential carnival-goer wonders…
“Is the fun really going to be worth all this stress?”
Please see Exhibit A & B:
So another question remains:
What should you be doing NOW to get the fete tickets you want this carnival season?
With less than 200 days to go, here’s a few tips on what you can be doing to ensure your trip is E.P.I.C.
- STAY ON TOP OF THINGS
Lemme see your snapchat..
Social media like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat are saving grace for all carnival-goers; ESPECIALLY newbies and carnival virgins. Social media is where you can get limitless information for FREE about fete dates, times and “criteria” (if you will) for carnival altogether. Now’s the time to start following event planning groups, promoters and all social media for events you may want to attend, especially if you don’t know any committee members.
Get in a carnival circle
With the love for carnival increasingly growing and gaining more exposure, crews have multiplied by the 10’s and sometimes hundreds all filled with people seeking the next big fete or carnival experience. If you want to know the ropes, surround yourself with those that have gone before you (i.e. carnival experts, veterans).
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If you’re really hard-pressed to get into certain fetes and haven’t the slightest clue of where to start, you should be doing the following:
- Familarize yourself with event planning groups, promoters, concierge services.
- Sign up/subscribe to email lists, blogs or inquire via email about events well in advance (at least 6-8 months before carnival time).
- Network with committee members or people that have attended your desired events in the past.
- FUNDS ON DECK
You should have already been saving since carnival ended last year BUT if you haven’t, start NOW.
The more “popular” fetes on average will cost 100+ and if you’re going to at least one to two fetes a day, it will have your budget looking at you like …
Prepare
You should have a checking/savings account specifically for carnival expenses. Capital One 360 makes it easy to start several different accounts depending on your needs. I also love savings challenges–putting a little away each day or week to get that carnival account pumping.
If you love automatic savings, set up your personal accounts to take out reasonable amounts on pay days after taking care of important expenses. There are tons of apps for this as well. One that I use right now is called Digit. It’s an app that monitors your spending habits and withdraws money daily that you literally don’t miss. Check it out here. If you sign up with this link https://digit.co/r/ITw0mbkRYI?ab , you help another carnival goer (me!) earn $5 and you in turn can refer your friends and earn money as well. Such a lifesaver.
It’s also helpful to get familiar with different online ticketing outlets. Some that I’ve used are ticketfederation.com, O2ticket.com, islandetickets.com, mycarnivalbands.com, eventbrite.com, ticketpal.com and most recently tunestub.com.
It’s a GREAT idea to bookmark these URL’s or set up accounts (as necessary) on these websites because, as of recent fete tickets have been selling out in a matter of hours, maybe even minutes. So, having to not fill out billing information could be the deciding factor of whether you get into a fete or not. Or if you have a photographic memory, memorize your debit/credit card information because you will be using your cards a lot.
Another important tip is to have a Paypal account readily available. If you do not have one, sign up for one here. Either that or be able to have your banking information ready at a moment’s notice. When you do sign up for Paypal… DO link your personal checking account to your Paypal account, this will save you from paying transaction/transfer fees and let me tell you every penny counts during carnival season.
How Much?
Of course, everyone wants to know how the fete was but they also want to know how much it costs; this is a great time to get with a carnival veteran and get estimates of previous fete purchases. In order to know for sure how much you’re spending add at least 10-15 dollars more in anticipation that prices will go up on top of sales fees.
- BUDDY UP
I have to say the number one reason why I’ve been able to attend most fetes of my choice is simply by asking questions, seeking advice from carnival veterans, interacting on carnival forums and listening attentively to those who have gone before me. Believe when I say you need a CARNIVAL BUDDY. Trust me, there WILL be times when you’re stuck at work and can’t get near a computer or your phone or you can’t remember the login for your Eventbrite account (true story) or you don’t know any committee members. You may live in a different timezone or you might be deployed and can only rely on snail mail (another true story) and/or have family obligations.
INSERT CARNIVAL BUDDY HERE!
PLEASE (PLEASE!, I beg you) find a friend or friends that you TRUST and are RESPONSIBLE that are willing to assist. No man is an island and no one likes feting without their crew.
- KA-CHING
Today is the day! You’ve put money aside, all necessary accounts are set up and all carnival buddies are on standby. You’re literally refreshing websites every 15-30 seconds waiting anxiously for tickets to launch and then you get a phone call, or your boss calls you in for a meeting or there’s a fire drill or the sky starts falling…
The scenarios are endless. So while you’re trying to figure out why the universe is conspiring to kill your carnival hopes and dreams, here’s one thing you need to remember. Whatever you do, DO NOT compromise your gainful employment just to buy a fete ticket. It is not worth it; there are other fetes or other ways to get a ticket and this job ensures that you can buy said tickets. That being said, make sure that you have a foolproof, boss proof, weather proof, fire proof plan in place or if push comes to shove an OPTION B. Some people take scheduled breaks or use their lunch hour or even take time off (yes, it gets that serious) to avoid the aforementioned situations. At the end of the day have some sort of plan in place so you can purchase and have your ticket ready when it’s time to fete.
- OPTION C-Z
If none of the above was at all helpful, all is not lost. There are many alternative ways to acquire fete tickets if you are desperate enough to look for them.
Physical Tickets
If there is no way to acquire an online ticket, look into securing physical tickets with the event organizer or committee member.
Resales
There are always resales. Life happens and often some unfortunate prospective carnival goers have to divvy up their carnival packages (i.e. hotel, costume, fete tickets) in hopes of getting their hard earned money back but to the advantage of other carnival goers. Resales can also be acquired through Facebook groups, online forums, whatsapp groups, on event pages and the list goes on. Popular resale sites are fineahban.com and carnival junction.com
Concierge services
This is definitely a go-to for persons that can’t bother with the chills and thrills of buying fete tickets and immensely enjoy convenience and peace of mind. Concierge services definitely eliminate the stress factor of this process for an extra fee of course, but I’ve found that they can be a saving grace especially when they do ALL of the leg work for you. However, there are only so many fete tickets out there in the carnival-sphere, so contacting companies that offer these services should be done as soon as possible to avoid waiting lists or the hassle to get a spot. Reputable concierge services that I’ve had first hand experience with are:
KarnivalbyKandi (Take a look at how her swift and organized services helped me and my crew have a time in Jamaica here http://bit.ly/2aK9PyE )
Scalpers
There is no doubt about it; you will encounter a scalper or two when trying to find a ticket for a sold out event. These are individuals that most likely will add on a few dollars to make a profit to resell a ticket and there are people that will go this route almost paying a 25-50% mark up. Hey, it’s your money, you do what you want with with it, however just be mindful of dates and times on e-tickets and physical tickets and ensure you actually get what you’re paying double or more for.
Going To Another Fete
Why stress out at all? There are other alternatives besides the unicorn fete that everyone seems to be going to but you can’t seem to find the golden ticket. Utilize the above resources and make a list of alternative parties, events that are not a big hassle to get into. It’s really about your perspective and the vibes of the people you surround yourself with and that you can carry into any fete.
Cheers to a fun-filled, stress free carnival experience,
Crista S.
