Freakfest organizers announced musical acts and raised ticket prices Monday for the State Street Halloween celebration.
All Time Low and Neon Trees headline this year's performances, which include an assortment of national and regional musicians. Ready Set, the Big Strong Men, Quiet Corral, famed underground rapper MURS, Madison-bred Locksley and Chicago's JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound round out the lineup.
Frank Productions, the concert promotion company that has run Freakfest for the past five years, also announced a slight bump in ticket prices. Tickets bought in advance have been raised from $7 to $8, and those bought the day of the event have increased from $10 to $12.
In raising ticket prices, which are agreed upon by Frank Productions and the mayor's office, officials hope to raise Freakfest's quality and revenue.
""We're trying to spend a little bit more on talent and production and beef up the amount and caliber of the bands we have at both stages,"" said Frank Production's Charlie Goldstone. ""The city has operated the event at a loss every year, and we're just trying to [help] close that gap.""
Since its transformation into a ticketed event, Freakfest has been heavily subsidized by the city. Expenses have gradually decreased, but the festivity still cost taxpayers around $35,000 in 2010.
Goldstone said he does not believe the change will have any real affect on attendance. The increase also has precedent, as prices were last raised from $5 in advance and $7 at the gate in 2008 with similar justifications.
""It's a pretty modest ticket price looking at the whole value of the event,"" said Goldstone. ""You've got eight national acts, most of which if you were to pay to see them would cost two to three times that [much].""
Approximately 55,000 people attended Freakfest in 2010.
Since its start as an informal gathering in the 1970's, Freakfest has seen crowds of up to 100,000 on State Street, some of which have required the deployment of tear gas by law enforcement to prevent excessive rowdiness and potential rioting.
Keeping ticket price fluctuations in perspective is important, insisted Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, especially given the turbulent history of Halloween in Madison.
""Recognizing the long history of Freakfest and understanding the problems we've incurred in the past, I'm excited for another successful and hopefully safe Halloween,"" Resnick said.
