[Dixielandjazz] Jazzfest "vOLUNTEERS"

[Bill Horton]

Pat Ladd, commenting on the Sac festival, wrote:
"Is that figure of 4000 volunteers right? I hope they don`t all get free seats, or if they do it should be contingent on them selling at least ten tickets each at full price."

Which brings me to a contention I've long held.  For many years I have "volunteered" at a smaller festival which I believe to be fairly typical.  For 6 hours of "work" I have received a free badge, worth $60.  If my math is correct, that works out to $10/hour (tax free).  The "work" usually involves listening to the music while minding the door at a venue-- checking if enterers have badges.  Some work!  Some volunteering!  You could find as many people you want who would gladly fill those jobs for minimum wage.  In the dim past, volunteers bought their own badges and were awarded a small thank-you memento (a teeshirt, keyring or such), which I thought was appropriate.

At most jazz society festivals there are a lot of people who put in hundreds of unpaid hours (committee members, treasurers, site captains, etc.) and deserve being called volunteers, but not those making $10 or more per hour. 

I agree with Pat, also, about the Bottom Line being all-important on hiring big names to increase attendance.  If a Big Name costs $50K and pulls in 500 additional patrons at $75 per head, forget it!  They'd have to pull at least 675 additional bodies to warrant considering their hire.  Will they GUARANTEE that many?  Does the festival have sites with seating capacities large enough to accommodate that many?   I'm sure glad I've never had to make those decisions!

This year we're travelling 1500 miles to attend Pismo's Jubilee By The Sea....and won't be "volunteers."  We hope it is sold out, as it has been for 25 years, and hope to meet a lot of you DJMLers there.

Bill Horton