It’s getting more expensive to go to kids’ holiday recitals

If you have (or know any) children, you may have had the delight of attending at least one year-end recital this month. You may have also noticed that a night of watching them scamper in the spotlight has become pricier than ever

Driving the news: The average ticket price for a children’s dance recital in Canada and the US is up from US$17 in 2017 to $19 these days, according to data from Dance Recital Ticketing—and in some cases, tickets are hitting as much as $80 per pop.

  • With roughly five tickets purchased per child (because gramps and gran want to come, too), that’s a whopping $95 for a family outing. 

Why it matters: The pricy tickets signal a heightened willingness to drop money on things people couldn’t experience during the pandemic, with the newfound knowledge that something as simple as seeing your child twirl around in a tutu isn’t guaranteed. 

Why it’s happening: Parental demand is also driving up prices. Moms and dads want to see their babies shine on stage, they want good seats to see it happen, and they want a top-notch production to boot. 

  • “They want better theatrical value,” the executive director of the National Dance Education Organization told the WSJ, “[schools] feel they need to be bigger and better.”

Recitals that feature the youngest performers tend to be the most profitable, as more family members will come out to see them. And as kids get older, the novelty starts to wear off.