Tickets for Mayor's Firework Fiesta will not go on sale before the event (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Tickets for Mayor's Firework Fiesta will not go on sale before the event
7:30am Thursday 1st November 2012 in News By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter
A SPECTACULAR display of colour and sound will entertain crowds at this year’s Firework Fiesta.
On Monday, thousands of people are expected to attend the Mayor’s annual charity Guy Fawkes Night event in War Memorial Park, Basingstoke.
Last year the crowds were wowed by a 30-minute firework display accompanied by pop music which filled the sky with showers of light and colour.
And this year’s event is expected to be just as impressive. But for the first time, tickets will not go on sale before the event.
In previous years, people have been able to buy tickets beforehand at a lower price.
But this year they will only be sold at the gate on the night and must be paid for with cash.
This is because in previous years only a small number of the total ticket sales were prior to the event, and it was decided to simplify the ticketing system and only sell tickets on the gate.
Tickets cost £9 for adults, £5 for children aged 16-and-under and £24 for a family of two adults and two children.
The Firework Fiesta is one of the biggest fundraisers in the town, and this year will generate money for the charity appeal of the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane – Cllr Martin Biermann.
He is raising cash in support of, respectively, RadCan, which is campaigning for a local radiotherapy centre; the Camrose Centre, which supports homeless people in the borough; Basingstoke Consortium, a charity which works with young people; and Age Concern Basingstoke.
The park will open at 6pm with fireworks starting at approximately 7.30pm.
Walls Funfair and Kestrel FM will provide entertainment during the evening, and there will also be food and drink stalls.
Cllr Biermann said: “The Mayor’s fireworks event is a perfect opportunity for people to come together to enjoy a spectacular firework display in a safe environment, whilst also raising money for good local causes. I hope lots of people will come along and join us.”
He added: “It’ll be fun whatever the weather!”
Comments(14)
Buster Preciation
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11:38am Thu 1 Nov 12
jonone
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12:41pm Thu 1 Nov 12
BugBear
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8:41pm Thu 1 Nov 12
radders19
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7:50am Fri 2 Nov 12
The problem they are going to have, not just the weather, is that you can see fireworks from anywhere as they are fired up into the sky. Why would you pay £9 to look up when you can stand further away and still see? Unless they cut the price and/or put more things on the ground for entertainment, this will slowly get less people attending and will eventually stop happening. I live close to the park and can stand in my garden and watch it, but £24 is too much in the current climate for this event, so I won't be going this year.
privateryan65
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10:19am Fri 2 Nov 12
ELLIS17
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2:31pm Fri 2 Nov 12
Best_Name_Ever
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6:42pm Fri 2 Nov 12
BugBear wrote:radders19 is completely correct - this is not just happening in Basingstoke. And instead of moaning about it, why don't you put your best foot forward and set up some community fireworks next year? I will be willing to help you out with that. A lot of the businesses around here get involved with the community - look at the 100% music CD's being created using tracks from Basingstoke bands and paid for by Basingstoke businesses, and all the money is going to charity! - No community spirit? I don't think you are looking anywhere near hard enough.
When I was a kid and Basingstoke was a small country town of less than 25,000 people, the Carnival was the largest in the south of England and the local business and people gave it full support by way of voluntary help and financial contribution. This included a free Bonfire and firework spectacular in the Memorial Park both in Carnival week and on November 5th. Now we have a town of over 100 plus thousand, no Carnival, no free fireworks, no business involvement bar trying to make a quick buck and no community spirit, my how things have moved on.
BugBear
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2:25pm Sat 3 Nov 12
Best_Name_Ever wrote:I'm not moaning about it, just making an observation. People, no matter what they say, are better off financially than they have ever been in this countries history, yet the majority bar a few good public spirited people such as yourself 'moan and groan' about how hard done by they are and yet do nothing to improve the lot of the community. Why not? because people have become greedy, self-centred and selfish. There is very little true community spirit in Basingstoke, that was destroyed when they destroyed the old town, but I appreciate its not just Basingstoke, its the whole country.
BugBear wrote:radders19 is completely correct - this is not just happening in Basingstoke. And instead of moaning about it, why don't you put your best foot forward and set up some community fireworks next year? I will be willing to help you out with that. A lot of the businesses around here get involved with the community - look at the 100% music CD's being created using tracks from Basingstoke bands and paid for by Basingstoke businesses, and all the money is going to charity! - No community spirit? I don't think you are looking anywhere near hard enough.
When I was a kid and Basingstoke was a small country town of less than 25,000 people, the Carnival was the largest in the south of England and the local business and people gave it full support by way of voluntary help and financial contribution. This included a free Bonfire and firework spectacular in the Memorial Park both in Carnival week and on November 5th. Now we have a town of over 100 plus thousand, no Carnival, no free fireworks, no business involvement bar trying to make a quick buck and no community spirit, my how things have moved on.
As for privateryan65, no offence intended but you appear to have more money than sense and therefore fit perfectly into the new dumbed down cultivated consumer society others have created for you.
Now that's a moan :-)
privateryan65
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8:33am Mon 5 Nov 12
Best_Name_Ever
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1:01pm Mon 5 Nov 12
jonone
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1:07pm Mon 5 Nov 12
Sam_Walker123456
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10:57am Tue 6 Nov 12
jonone wrote:And what about those watching from their own gardens - do you also want to prevent them?
Last year, a huge crowd simplay gathered by the bandstand and watched for free. Will anything be done to prevent this?
This is a charity event and in my opinion charitable donations are best made on a voluntary basis. Instead of preventing people standing on public land to watch for free, why not take buckets around to collect contributions? I expect many people would dip into their pockets.
Personally I think it should be completely free with buckets being shaken at all the entrances and exits. This would save time (perhaps they could even start on time for once), money on fencing and other security and enable people to pay according to their means, conscience and their perception of value for money. Unfortunately it is a pathetic display and I think the organisers realise they will not collect much money from the spectators.
BugBear
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8:23pm Tue 6 Nov 12
W Wallace says...
9:18am Thu 1 Nov 12