BUDAPEST (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The tough economic times are forcing organizers for the Hungarian festival Sziget to up its ticket prices to 10,000 forints (about $39.)
The price increase was driven by potential sponsors cutting back on spending and expectations for attendance being scaled down, said Karoly Gerendai, managing director of Sziget Produkcio.
To bolster their finances, Sziget organizers have reportedly asked for financial support from the Hungarian government to the tune of approximately $700,000 or 5% of their total budget. As of yet, the government has not replied to the request.
Despite the overall price increase, the festival is looking into discounts on some tickets in order to help drive sales. Student groups are being offered discounts of up to 50% on tickets and the festival is planning to offer half-priced admission after 11 pm when the main stage is done.
The festival is a week-long affair set to run this year from August 12-17, located on the island of Obuda near Budapest. The lineup this year includes Snow Patrol, Armin Van Buuren, The Prodigy, Bloc Party, Calexico, The Offspring and the Ting Tings to name a few. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
