How to Find Cheap Tickets for Concerts on Holidays
This year could be the first Disney On Ice children’s show, or a local production of A Christmas Carol or The Nutcracker. There are so many tempting ways to share all the time on the screen with classic family fun during the holidays, but it’s also the busiest time of the year.
If you are looking to buy tickets for children’s concerts and family shows during the holiday season at a bargain price, there are several ways to improve your ticket search so you have a chance to take the most affordable seats.
Go sooner or very late
Most people will want to attend the Christmas show after Thanksgiving and before Christmas. So wanting to be there before Thanksgiving might be helpful (hurry up and book your tickets for the evening!) … or you could extend the holiday mood beyond December 25th.
For example, Stephen Spivak, content marketing manager for Vivid Seats , compared prices on his website for a popular Christmas show starring the Radio City Rockettes in New York. “Eleven of the 12 most accessible shows run before Thanksgiving,” says Spivak. “Another show? On New Years Eve … New Years Eve ticket prices are about a third cheaper than the week before on Christmas Eve. ”
The time of day also matters. Morning and morning shows are traditionally cheaper, but evening shows may also be more affordable.
“Best value for money – late Friday night at 10pm,” says Spivak. “Too late for most children, but perhaps an option for families with older children or those staying at a nearby hotel.”
Not all days are created equal
You can probably guess that tickets for shows on weekdays will be more affordable than tickets for weekends. Generally speaking, Monday through Thursday will be the cheapest days to attend the show. However, if it is to be a weekend, Sunday afternoon is likely to be a better choice than Friday night, Spivak says.
“For example, on Thanksgiving weekend,” he says, “the average price for a Sunday afternoon performance is 10% less than Friday.”
Saturday shows in general will be the most coveted and therefore the most expensive. In particular, don’t worry about Saturday, December 7th; the first Saturday in December is exactly the day when basically everyone is waiting for some kind of festive events. This is after Thanksgiving, this is before the last minute Christmas bustle, this is the sweet spot of the weekend and it will cost you.
Search for “Baby Nights”
If you’re looking for more affordable ways to take your kids to live concerts aside from the holidays, look for events advertised as Kids Night. For example, the annual Kids Night on Broadway event will be on February 25 (tickets go on sale in December) if you are in the New York City area. Children aged 18 and under enter free with a full paying adult. As a bonus, this type of event will have a lot of children, which is especially helpful if they are attending a concert for the first time and you are not sure how quiet you can keep them.
You can find similarly advertised events in your area; some are listed here , but you can also contact your local theater to find out.