GENERAL ANSWERS:
- Can people give suggestions on entertainers for the OU-L concerts?
If so, where should suggestions be directed?
Yes, any one can offer suggestions. Contact the business office. However, there are many factors involved in our selection process for these performers that you may not be aware of:
- The Lancaster Festival is a non-profit organization, dedicated to making the arts accessible to all members of our community. We do this by keeping our ticket prices low (for the outdoor concerts less than $25). The ticket revenue is less than half of our total budget. The remainder of operating expenses is covered by grants, corporate and individual gifts. This total budget of approximately $750,000 is used to provide for over 75 events during the Festival this year, the majority of these events are non-ticketed and free to the public.
- Performance fees for ‘headliners’ are set by the artists’ management, and usually run from $20,000 to $250,000. The most we’ve ever been able to budget for a major act is $50,000, for Aretha Franklin.
- Performers are usually on tour for a certain period of time each summer, and book a solid schedule for this period. Our Festival has only two dates available, and those dates must coincide with an available date for the performer.
- Since we are booking acts to perform with the orchestra, the artist must already have a set ‘orchestra charts’, which consist of parts written for each instrument in the orchestra.
- Since the performers name and reputation are usually the major audience draw for the Saturday concerts, we also have to consider their broad audience appeal.
All of these factors affect our selection, and it is often a very long and difficult process, involving compromises in many areas. We would appreciate your understanding and patience.
You might also be interested to know that the Lancaster Festival is continuing to expand its educational activities. We believe very strongly in promoting arts participation and education among young people. This summer, these activities include, master classes for music students, and the Lancaster Festival Community Youth Band. We also schedule ‘Major Arts for Minors’, a series of workshops designed to introduce young people to music and art. We are continuing the Wilkes Fellowship, which allows a young, talented musician to play in the orchestra, as well as our Artist in Residence program, and our Stage Crew Student Intern Program.
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- Where can I buy souvenirs of the Lancaster Festival?
You can buy Festival posters at the ticket office during their normal business hours. The Ticket/Merchandise section of our web site offers jewelry pins based on past festival posters. You can also purchase T-shirts and other decorated items from Professional Screen Printers at their downtown booth or the OU-L concert site during the Festival, or at their store in Lancaster.
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- How many events do you have?
In season 2004, we had 73 events.
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- Is there more to the Festival than the Saturday night concerts at OU-L?
Yes, there is much more. The Lancaster Festival is 12 days of events for many age groups and interests held in locations all over town. You can get a detailed daily schedule by signing up on our mailing list, or check the web site after April.
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- Where can I buy concert recordings?
Unfortunately, because of musicians’ union regulations, we cannot record the performances for sale. Guest performers often bring CD’s and tapes to the concerts for sale.
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- Is your orchestra really made up of local musicians?
No. We are proud to welcome professional musicians from all over the world to be a part of the Lancaster Festival Orchestra. Most have jobs with other Symphony Orchestras during the “winter” season. Each musician has auditioned for the position he or she holds here. We are equally proud of several of our local music teachers who play with the orchestra.
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- Where can I park for downtown events?
Generally, you’ll have to find a public street parking spot. During the Artwalk, there is a shuttle service which runs between the county fairgrounds parking and downtown stops.
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- Can I record the concerts?
No. Musicians’ Union regulations do not permit audio or video recordings.
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- Can I take pictures during the concerts?
Still pictures are permitted, but only without the use of flash bulbs. Video recording is not permitted.
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- How do you decide who performs as the “headliner” at the orchestra concerts?
There are actually many factors that affect this decision: When is the performer available?
Do they have music already written for the orchestra?
What is their fee?
Will our audience be interested in coming to see the performer?
We consider all of these questions, and more, in order to make our choices.
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- Who really runs the Festival?
The Lancaster Festival is a community-oriented, non-profit organization. A 20 member Board of Directors, made up of local business leaders, makes policy decisions and raises funds to support the Festival. Our Artistic Director makes major artistic decisions, with input from an artistic advisory board. We also have a dedicated volunteer administrative staff in the business office. In addition, we depend on 100’s of volunteers who serve in many capacities. These volunteers are a cross-section of local community members, from students to senior citizens.
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- Can I volunteer to help at the Festival?
Yes, since the Lancaster Festival is a non-profit organization, we depend heavily on volunteer assistance. We have many different jobs available, such as:
- Phone answering
- Brochure Distribution
- Ticket Sales
- Artist Hospitality
- Decorating
- Usher
- Equipment Transfer
- Errands
- Table Set-up
- Concert Shell / Stage Assembly
- Clean-up
- Shuttle Service
You can volunteer for any of these jobs by calling the business office at 740-687-4808 or by sending an e-mail note to lanfest@lanfest.org.
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- How can I get on your mailing list?
Call the business office at 740-687-4808, or submit the on-line e-mail sign-up form (see our home page).
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- Can I make a financial contribution to help support the Lancaster Festival?
Yes, thank you for asking. Without donations, the Lancaster Festival could not provide so many wonderful free events for families and children.
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- How can I apply to exhibit on the Artwalk?
Although the Lancaster Festival promotes the artwalk, held throughout downtown on the first Friday of the Festival, we don’t directly select exhibitors. Applications are available on our web site, under 'Season 2005'; 'Artwalk'.
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- Where can I register for a craft booth?
The Lancaster Festival is a music and fine arts event held in July that does not sponsor craft vendors. You may be confusing us with the Zane Square Festival which takes place in downtown Lancaster in August. You can get more information by calling the Lancaster Parks and Recreation Department at 740-687-6651.
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- Can you give me any information about the Fairfield County Fair?
The Lancaster Festival is not affiliated with the county fair. For information about the county fair, call the Fairfield County Agricultural Society at 740-653-3041.
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- Music Program information for Chamber Music concerts. I cannot find here on website. What music are musicians playing?
Programming will be added to the web site's schedule page as it becomes available.
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OU-L Concert Site ANSWERS:
- Can I bring blankets or chairs to the outdoor concerts?
Yes. Look for the designated areas for blankets only and blankets/chairs just behind the table section.
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- Can I bring food to the outdoor concerts?
Yes. But if you don’t care to, Kroger has a full service concession on the concert grounds.
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- Can I bring alcohol to the outdoor concerts?
Yes. The Lancaster Festival operates a beer and wine concession on the concert grounds. We encourage everyone to drink responsibly, and to have a designated driver for each car.
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- What handicapped facilities do you have at OU-L?
You can be directed to handicapped parking by turning on your vehicle’s hazard lights upon entering the OU-L parking area. If you need assistance from your vehicle to your seat, just ask one of our parking attendants. We also have several wheelchair accessible restroom facilities, and a wheelchair seating area.
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- How much does it cost to park at OU-L?
Parking on the OU-L grounds is free. You can also park at the nearby Lancaster High School lot and flag down one of several small tractors with a cart to help carry your belongings.
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- Do I have to park at OU-L for the symphony concerts?
No, you can park at the nearby Lancaster High School parking lot and walk over. We also have a shuttle service from the Kroger parking lot on East Main Street.
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- What is the table decorating theme for this year?
The theme for the 2005 Season have not yet been determined.
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- How many seats are available at a table. and is it possoble to reserve a whole table?
There are normally 10 seats per table at the OU-L concert site, and yes, you can reserve a whole table.
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- How can I purchase a table for the Sat. concerts? How much?
For 2005, advance table seats for OU-L concerts are available on-line beginning April 11. You can also purchase tickets when the ticket office opens for general sales, which is June 10. At that time, you can order by phone, fax, our web site, or by visiting the ticket office at 127 W. Wheeling St. during regular hours.
Previous full-table customers are eligible for a pre-sale mail offer which runs during May. Table seat prices depend on table location and range from $25 to $42.
Thanks for your interest, and we hope you can visit the Festival and enjoy some of our great concerts and other activities.
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Ticket ANSWERS:
- If the Festival doesn?t give ticket refunds when an outdoor concert is cancelled because of weather, what happens to all the money?
The Lancaster Festival is a non-profit organization. Even if there is no performance, we still have to pay the "headliner", the orchestra and all of the technical service providers. Normally, ticket sales only cover less than half of our expenses, the rest are paid by grants, gifts, and other contributions.
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- Who gets all the money the Festival makes on ticket sales?
The Lancaster Festival is a non-profit organization. Normally, ticket sales only cover about half of our expenses. The rest must be paid by grants, gifts and other contributions.
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- What is the Festival's ticket return policy?
Currently, our policy is that there will be no exchanges or refunds of tickets.
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- DO COLLEGE STUDENTS COUNT WHEN THE TICKET SAYS "STUDENT"?
The Festival Board of Directors adopted a new policy for 2003 - Students with a valid college ID may purchase tickets at the student price, but not until July 1.
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- Are there any tables available for the Saturday concerts? If not, for future reference, are there any tables available if one requests a table earlier in July? Thank you.
It's never necessary to request tables before July. We set up as many as are sold. There are still good tables available for saturday concerts. You can order on-line, at the 'tickets' page, or call the ticket office at 1-740-653-8800 or 1-800 LANFEST. Thank you for your interest, and we hope you can come and enjoy the concert.
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