P’ville Officials Continue to Weigh Changes for Next Year’s Music Festival

A shorter event focused on local talent and a different approach to booking headliner bands could be some of the changes in store for next year’s Pleasantville Music Festival.

Multiple alternatives and revisions were again discussed at length by Pleasantville officials at last week’s Village Board work session after it was revealed last month that the 2024 festival cost the village $96,000.

Impacting ticket sales for last July’s festival was an ominous weather forecast that predicted rain, causing ticket sales to drop. However, by the time the festival started at noon, the rain had stopped.

The festival’s new executive director, Doug Panero, attended the board’s Oct. 28 work session and was joined by about a dozen festival staff members. He said many of these people and other volunteers have made the festival possible by working year-round.

Shortening the nine-hour festival and changing some of the venues could reduce costs, Panero said.

“We could cut back the fourth act, which is a national act on the main stage, and cut one each…at the Party Stage and Chill Tent,” Panero suggested. “That would compress the day and we’d save on the hourly rates.”

Village Trustee David Vinjamuri said he loved the last two festivals, especially the “continuation bands,” subsequent generations of performers who continue the legacy and music of famous acts through having a personal connection to the original band. The organizers could cut out other acts that are expensive but that might not have wider appeal.

“The most special moments were the Allman Betts Band, the second generation of the Allman Brothers, and The Wailers continuation band,” Vinjamuri said. “It was the combination of knowing the music and having some authenticity both at the same time and the communal feeling you get when you can sing along. If we lose the big headliner, I don’t think it’s terrible for this kind of a festival.”

Last July, the festival featured 18 bands. Headliners included Better Than Ezra, The Record Company and The Wailers.

Creating a luxury VIP experience could also increase revenue by offering special parking, an exclusive section to meet and greet performers and an air-conditioned bathroom, which are typical of VIP areas. Mayor Peter Scherer questioned going that route.

“Would the income of a VIP area warrant the expense if the expense is fixed?” Scherer asked. “And what about in the event of bad weather?”

Trustee Nicole Asquith said she also had reservations about a VIP section.

“It doesn’t feel very Pleasantville to me,” she said. “We are a more egalitarian type of community, and having privileges rubs me the wrong way. If there’s a way to reorient it as partners of the festival, that may make more sense.”

Panero said there are other options that wouldn’t be as costly and might also attract music fans.

“You’re doing something a little extra and we are providing you a little something extra in return rather than gambling on those significant, additional expenses,” Panero said.

Selling and drinking alcohol at the festival has been confined to the beer garden in an effort to prevent underage drinking. Eliminating the restrictions of where alcohol could be consumed was an idea board members seemed to support. It would allow for decreasing the size of the beer garden to make more room for the stages.

“We can move the Party Stage a little closer up front if the beer garden is smaller,” Panero explained. “There’s a lot more we can do with the chill stage to make it more appealing, like adding some more inexpensive headliners.”

Panero added that the Party Stage can often be quite loud, but moving it 40 to 50 yards might address that issue.

However, Panero supported keeping a similar price range for 2025. Lowering the cost of tickets could hurt the bottom line.

“People are paying $120 to $130 for a single show at other venues,” he said. “Here they are getting a lot of value for the money. We don’t want to chase people away.”

Tickets purchased for this year’s festival cost $75 for adults from 22 to 64 years old and $55 for students 21 and under and seniors 65 and up, if bought in advance. Admission at the gate increased to $85 for adults and $60 for students. Children under 12 years old have gained admittance for free if accompanied by an adult who buys a ticket.

Panero suggested there could be a discount for village residents.

“That would be a way to emphasize the hyper-community nature of this,” he said.

Trustee Yemi Healy said she spoke to about 60 people regarding possible changes to the festival.

“Many are willing to pay more and these are families with a lot of young kids,” Healy said. “Their experience is two-fold, where they come during the day with young children and then they come back at night. It’s two events for them and they are willing to pay the larger price.”

Healy also recommended featuring young, local talent at the festival.

“This would include acts where a lot of children from Pleasantville could be highlighted on a stage and where their parents might come to see them,” she said. “It would be a push for Pleasantville residents to come.”

Asquith said the concern of the board and the community was that the festival was becoming a venture that loses money on a regular basis.

“My impression is that you are making a good effort to address those issues and finding ways to cut back on some of the costs,” she told Panero.

The festival’s former executive director, Bruce Figler, was not at the meeting but sent a letter supporting the event, noting that it has contributed to the business community and real estate values.

The board agreed to meet with Panero to review cost-saving efforts in the next few weeks. Tickets for the festival, which has usually been held on the second Saturday in July, typically go on sale the day after Thanksgiving.