Buncombe County Switches to Local Event Tech Provider, Saves Hundreds and Sees Record Turnout
-
by
Vikram, Head of Growth and Co-Owner at SimpleTix, brings a performance marketing background from SeatGeek and early stage startups to SimpleTix’s partnership and growth efforts. A lifelong live event enthusiast, he’s focused on expanding the tools organizers rely on to connect with their audiences.
Buncombe County switched to SimpleTix, a local tech company, for the county’s annual Lake Julian Festival of Lights celebration.
Ultimately, the county saved hundreds of dollars in fees and saw a record turnout for opening weekend attendance.
Asheville, North Carolina December 9, 2019 – Buncombe County’s annual Lake Julian Festival of Lights was just a bit more festive this year. The county switched to a local tech company to provide the eTicketing service for the event and ultimately saved hundreds of dollars on fees and saw the highest attendance ever for opening weekend.
The annual celebration is always a huge draw for Asheville, NC, residents, as well as those across the state. The drive-through only tour includes thousands of dazzling lights and displays carefully choreographed and installed around Lake Julian Park. Each year, 20% of the proceeds goes to support the Buncombe County Special Olympics, as well.
For 2019’s event, county organizers switched from Eventbrite to SimpleTix, a local ticketing technology company based in Asheville. The decision was made for multiple reasons, including saving money on fees, but also to help support a local company and bolster the area economy. The result was a record turnout, with almost 1,300 people visiting on Sunday alone, a new single-day record.
Part of the increased attendance was due to lower ticket prices. Because the county saved money on fees, it was able to pass those savings along to eventgoers in the form of lower ticket prices.
Chris Bubenik, Buncombe County Recreation Services’ Marketing Generalist, stated, “It couldn’t be easier to run an event with SimpleTix. From setting up our festival to scanning tickets, every step of the process is intuitive. The SimpleTix team also provided personal attention to ensure success. Plus, we were able to receive instant payments instead of waiting weeks for a check.”
The partnership was so successful that Buncombe County intends to work with SimpleTix for additional events throughout the year, as will several other counties in North Carolina.
To learn more about SimpleTix or the company’s capabilities, visit https://www.simpletix.com.
About SimpleTix: Founded in 2008, SimpleTix delivers professional-grade ticketing solutions and an alternative to high-priced, custom e-Ticketing software and outrageous fees charged by cookie-cutter ticketing service providers. SimpleTix delivers a simple, customizable, affordable process with the features and options that today’s venues and event organizers deserve.
Latest News
Related Articles
Eventbrite Is Being Acquired. Here’s What It Means for You.
-
by
On December 2, Eventbrite announced it's being acquired by Bending Spoons for ~$500M, down from a $1.7B peak valuation. The deal takes Eventbrite private and puts it in the hands of a firm known for aggressive cost-cutting and price increases. If you're an Eventbrite customer, this is worth paying attention to. Who is Bending Spoons? Bending Spoons is a Milan-based tech company that acquires underperforming software brands (Evernote, Vimeo, WeTransfer, Meetup, AOL) and restructures them for profitability. Their playbook is consistent: cut headcount (often 50-75%), raise prices, and streamline operations. That's not speculation. It's their stated model. What This Likely Means for Eventbrite Customers Higher fees. Bending Spoons is explicit about monetization being a priority. Eventbrite has already experimented with pricing over the past two years. Expect that to accelerate. Reduced support. Major headcount reductions typically mean fewer experienced support reps and longer response times, especially during the transition. If you run complex events (reserved seating, multi-day festivals, timed entry), this matters. Product stagnation. Ownership changes usually mean roadmap resets and internal focus on cost savings. Don't expect new features anytime soon. Questions to Ask Yourself You don't need to panic. But you should treat this as a prompt to evaluate your options: What are you paying in total fees today? How sensitive is your margin to a 10-20% increase? How critical is hands-on support to your events? Can you afford slower response times mid-season? What's your contingency plan if pricing or policies change after you've already committed to your event calendar? If any of those questions give you pause, now is the time to explore alternatives, not after new pricing is announced. Why SimpleTix Is Different SimpleTix was built for organizers who care about margins, flexibility, and responsive support. A few key differences: Transparent pricing with a hard fee...
How SimpleTix Used Surveys & Auto-Scheduling To Streamline A Property Insurance Event
-
by
[vc_row][vc_column width="1/2" css=".vc_custom_1480416839073{padding-right: 20px !important;}"][vc_column_text]Pacesetter Claims Service is a trusted property claims service that offers coverage across the U.S. They provide daily insurance claim services, catastrophe services, water damage mitigation, and other insurance adjustment offerings. Pacesetter ultimately provides homeowners and renters with essential insurance services. When Pacesetter chose to launch their 2nd Claims Conference using SimpleTix, we were thrilled to handle the event registration process for them. SimpleTix offered Pacesetter custom features like surveys and auto-scheduling to ensure they would make the most of their property insurance event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="26758"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vcex_spacing][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text] [caption id="attachment_26750" align="alignright" width="288"] Image: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Conference Location)[/caption]By integrating Pacesetter's event registration portal with a survey feature, Pacesetter can ask event attendees important questions. More specifically, Pacesetter can now request the workshop/break-out session schedules of attendees. This helps Pacesetter determine the specific tracks that people plan to attend at their event. It also makes it easier for Pacesetter to interact directly with the insurance industry professionals who attend their conference. Pacesetter's event attendees are also able to automatically schedule classes that are "grouped" together. For example, if a conference attendee chooses a "Part 1 class" to attend, that attendee would automatically be scheduled for the corresponding "Part 2" class as well. This auto-scheduling feature prevents people from signing up from too many "part 1" classes. It also prevents people from skipping the corresponding "part 2" classes when those classes are deemed necessary.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_single_image image="26755" title="Attendee Workshop Selection"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In other words, auto-scheduling makes it easy for conference-goers to receive the full experience of events. Not to mention, it also helps companies like Pacesetter attract many more attendees at their events! And best of all, the custom survey and auto-scheduling features that are available to Pacesetter are also available to companies and individuals across the U.S, Canada, Australia, U.K, New Zealand and elsewhere. SimpleTix is used all around the world, and is...
Religious Organizations
-
by
Overview Religious organizations have unique event needs—from weekly services and fundraisers to High Holy Day events. SimpleTix offers a comprehensive, affordable event ticketing system that simplifies registration, integrates online donation options, and enhances communication with your congregation. This lets you focus on your mission while managing events efficiently. Onboarding Process Create Your Account & Connect Your Payment Processor: Sign up for SimpleTix and integrate with Square, Stripe, or Authorize.net. Create Your Event: Enter event details, select ticket types (General Admission, Member, Guest), and add donation options. Customize Your Event Page: Reflect your organization’s branding and mission using logos, images, and compelling narratives. Integrate Communication Tools: Connect Mailchimp to automate email updates and engage your congregation. Download the Organizer App: Use the Organizer app for efficient on-site check-in and sales. Run a Test Event: Validate the complete process before going live. FAQs Can free events be managed? Yes, free events incur only a nominal fee. How do I handle reserved seating for High Holy Days? Use the seating chart designer for accurate seat assignments. How are donations processed? Donations are integrated directly into the ticketing flow. What if an attendee forgets their ticket? Check in attendees manually using the Organizer app.