The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras organisation has begun circulating a code that provides a 41.2 per cent discount on Bondi Beach Party tickets.
The code “FDA18F24” was emailed on Thursday to artists scheduled to perform at the now-cancelled Fair Day, while artists themselves were offered a free ticket to the Bondi party as “a small gesture of thanks for your patience” while Mardi Gras figures out the next steps post-Fair Day cancellation.
But in news that has irked existing Bondi Beach Party ticketholders, the artists have also been offered “access to $139+BF tickets [$142.95 total including booking fee] for your close circle to celebrate with you”.
“There is a limited number of tickets available at $139+BF so please do not share this link. The offer is available until 8pm AEDT Sat 24 Feb or when allocations are exhausted – whichever comes first.”
The Bondi Beach Party is on February 24.
GSN has confirmed with two recipients of the email that the URL sent to them is the same and not unique.
The URL contains a coupon code inside of it that, when applied, discounts up to five beach party tickets per transaction.
Official tickets are still selling for $242.95, although ticket resale marketplace Tixel has tickets available for as low as $125, which is about 48% off the original price.
During WorldPride, a coupon code circulated widely that offered a 66.7 per cent discount to the Rainbow Republic closing concert on the day of the event, angering early ticket buyers.
Many people had purchased the closing concert tickets for $135. However, the discount code “MERCH” gave “late arrival” buyers access to $45 tickets.
Meanwhile, Mardi Gras has announced that its corporate sponsor Canva will provide affected Fair Day stallholders a six-month free subscription to the company’s online graphic design tool.
One stallholder who paid almost $1500 for their Fair Day stall said despite emailing them, Mardi Gras had not given them a refund or a new event date.
“We understand many small businesses were impacted and [we] would like to offer 6 months free Canva Pro as a small gesture of support,” said Mardi Gras’ email to artists, which appears to quote Canva and looks to have been sent to stallholders too.
Mardi Gras thanked artists and stallholders for their patience while it worked through the ramifications of Fair Day’s cancellation.
“We want to assure you that we’re working around the clock with our partners in government to share the full impact of the cancellation, and to provide clarity to everyone affected,” Mardi Gras said in the email.
“We understand that this unexpected cancellation has hit people hard, and we’re working to ensure a resolution as quickly as possible.”
The circulation of the discount code comes after Mardi Gras CEO Gil Beckwith – in an interview with GSN last week that was published on Thursday this week – did not rule out discounting Bondi Beach Party tickets and would not confirm reports of low beach party ticket sales.
“Ticket sales are going very well,” she said of both the beach party and the official after-party.
An events industry source, speaking to GSN on the condition of anonymity, speculated that the offer of cheaper Bondi tickets was “less about the Fair Day cancellation and more about Bondi not having many tickets sold”.
“They would just be using that as an excuse to give out free tickets to groups of people. This was done last year with Rainbow Republic (Closing Ceremony ft. Kim Petras etc.) – heaps of frees and discounts given out in the 48 hours prior.
“It’s standard practice for any large-scale event that is struggling to shift tickets – they are trying to make money back on the bar… so everyone should drink up!”
Another industry insider said it was common practice for tickets to start cheap and get more expensive in the lead-up to an event – but not the other way around.
A customer who purchased a full-price ticket and had an artist friend forward them the discount link on Thursday told GSN he was “feeling pretty ripped off” about tickets being heavily discounted.
“I’m not going to be a returning customer,” they said of the Bondi Beach Party. “These people who put blind trust in Mardi Gras on the headliners not being announced until last-minute … do you think they’re going to be returning customers next year either?
“I don’t think so.”
DNA Magazine has also been offering a free beach party ticket or a free after-party ticket to those who sign up for a two-year $247 print subscription.
Headling the Bondi Beach Party this year is English singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who joins US singer Slayyyter and international DJs Jay Jay Revlo, Lagoon Femshaymer and Corey Craig.
Mardi Gras was approached for comment just after 2pm on Thursday. GSN did not hear back by 10.30pm on Thursday.
Editor’s note: Ben Grubb is a Mardi Gras member for discount purposes only.
Gay Sydney News editor