Thread: Spinoff of Holiday rates

If a holiday falls on a weekend do you charge the holiday rate when booking gigs for the whole weekend or just on the actual holiday itself? Perfect example is this upcoming Valentine's Day - it falls on a Sunday. Regular rates for Friday & Saturday, but any Sunday gigs are holiday rate? Or holiday rate the whole weekend?

Just curious what everyone else does.

Interesting question. Honestly, I think it all depends on what kind of gig it is. I just booked a bachelorette party for the 13th and charged my normal fee for a lesson/show. Now, on the other hand, if a restaurant owner were to book me that same night for a Valentine's Day dinner, I would probably apply my holiday rates, since most restaurants charge more per head and offer a fixed menu for holidays.

Makes sense venues would get holiday rate - would you charge large events holiday rate also?

This is a good question and come to think of it, I'm not sure what I'd charge, either. Definitely more than a typical gig, but I'm not sure if I'd put V-Day in the same category as NYE.

WWBD?

I've never heard of charging a special holiday rate for any holiday other than NYE. That's because NYE is a busy night with a lot of parties. Valentines Day, not so much. I suppose I may reconsider this when I start getting tons of calls for Valentines Day, but in all honesty, I find performing on VD a bit unpleasant -- too many insecure jealous women who glare and their men who are afraid to look above their menus!

This is IMHO: 'Major' holidays like NYE & Christmas I think should be billed at full-on holiday rate.

'Minor' holidays like Valentine's Day I tend to think deserve to be charged at a little higher than the standard rate, but not as much as what you'd charge for NYE.

Halloween is another example. Do you charge a little extra for Halloween gigs? It falls on a Sunday this year, too. So, again, most businesses (clubs especially) are likely going to do all their Halloween stuff on Saturday night. Standard rate or a little extra?

I'm bumping this thread because my Valentine's weekend is blowing up! I'm moving my own night out with my husband to the 5th, which will be a much easier Friday for me to take off. I also totally missed Halloween this year, and have been thinking a lot more about extra charges for "minor" holidays since I've had to do all this rearranging.

Anybody?

Originally Posted by bellyfina

I'm bumping this thread because my Valentine's weekend is blowing up! I'm moving my own night out with my husband to the 5th, which will be a much easier Friday for me to take off. I also totally missed Halloween this year, and have been thinking a lot more about extra charges for "minor" holidays since I've had to do all this rearranging.

Anybody?

I'd go with holiday rate, most places in our area are price fix and are charging astronomical prices. It's like NYE in that EVERYONE is going out and spending money.

I'm also trying to look at what the fixed price is and judging based on that. It's just hard to know, because I don't want to lose a gig to someone who's not charging holiday rates...

Originally Posted by bellyfina

I'm also trying to look at what the fixed price is and judging based on that. It's just hard to know, because I don't want to lose a gig to someone who's not charging holiday rates...

That seems to be the big problem these days

Are you looking to charge full holiday rate or just a little increase, since it's a 'minor' holiday?

I don't know! I'd say partial... Tonight I negotiated a gig that's going to be three short sets with wait time, WAY out of the metropolitan area. I had to take into consideration the fact that it's saving me from running around (but keeping me tied down to one spot), that it's fairly early on a Sunday, that it's a minor holiday, that the restaurant is new and not expensive, and that they want to start a weekly thing. I think I came to a fair price, but there were so many factors!! Another place had asked me to do shows three consecutive nights, and that was the same issue: I wanted to give them a good price for the repeat business but charge enough to compensate me for the holiday. Their fixed price was only $40, and I don't think it's a crazy busy restaurant, so I was going to tack $25 onto the *upper* going rate for the area, per night. I have no clue what other dancers are doing, but I'm trying to take each case into consideration and secure the job without feeling like I'm giving anything away...