Why so many events have ticket lotteries now
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
/2023/05/26/1685125618333.gif?w=3840)
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Snagging a hot ticket to an event in the city used to mean getting online and clicking at just the right moment. But these days, you’re more likely to be at the mercy of a lottery.
Why it matters: Ticket lotteries remove the stress of competition, but leave everything to chance. Institutions from the Smithsonian to night clubs and even the D.C. government say they make for a more equitable purchasing experience.
Popular events such as Jazz in the Garden and National Gallery Night used to sell out in under a minute, says the National Gallery of Art.
- This year, the museum changed registration for both events to a lottery.
- 28,000 people registered for passes to the final National Gallery Night earlier this month, but only 1,700, or 6%, got them.
By the numbers: There were 520,000 requests for 19,800 available tickets to the inaugural shows at The Atlantis, the new 450-person capacity venue behind the 9:30 Club.
And more than 40,000 residents participated in the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation’s new summer camp lottery.
Be smart: Interest in a lot of events can fluctuate, meaning you just might have a chance.
- Around a third of those who requested tickets to Jazz in the Garden have managed to snag them for the first two concerts.
- “With 12 Jazz in the Gardens concerts [this summer], people have an excellent chance of getting a pass,” says Grace Murray, head of public programs at the National Gallery of Art.
What they’re saying: Event coordinators in D.C. say the response to new lotteries has been largely positive from patrons, who understand the thinking behind the switch.
- “People are very emotional about ticketing,” says Schaefer. “I think it speaks to how artists have created a following that people are emotionally tied to.”