30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Beloved Northern California music festival experiences 50% drop in ticket sales
Ticket sales for the High Sierra Music Festival have hit a historic low despite organizers' efforts to keep the long-running event alive amid ongoing post-pandemic financial challenges.
Just days away from the outdoor music concert's return to the small town of Quincy on Thursday through Sunday, July 3-6, co-owner and producer Dave Margulies says that revenue is continuing to plummet.
'Our last successful year was 2019,' Margulies told the Chronicle.
Before the COVID pandemic, he said the festival sold an average of 6,000 tickets a year. Sales have dropped to around 4,000 since then — and this year's event has barely cleared more than 2,000.
Single-day ticket prices range from $82 to $109 apiece for adults, but with overall costs exceeding $2 million, Margulies admits it's looking grim.
'We've tried to adjust to remain sustainable,' he said. 'It's been very, very difficult.'
Organizers already cut back on operational costs — such as fencing, golf carts and talent fees — in an effort to reduce last year's budget, which was approximately $2.75 million.
'It was so bad,' he said. 'But we realized the repercussions of canceling. That to me would signify the death knell of the brand.'
The four-day family-friendly event has become known for its intimate performances, quirky experiences and spontaneous collaborations that showcase both rising and established talent, from El Sobrante rock band Primus to Phish's Trey Anastasio and improvisational jam band Dogs in a Pile
For its 33rd iteration this week, the lineup features Palo Alto bluegrass artist Molly Tuttle, Saratoga rock group ALO and East Bay hip-hop artist Lyrics Born, among others.
'This event is too beloved to let it go,' he said, noting that organizers ultimately decided to 'power through' while trying to reduce losses as much as possible.
Despite the festival's current struggles, Margulies remains optimistic. He said they've seen a slight uptick in ticket sales over the past week and is counting on Fourth of July weekend's sunny weather to draw more music-lovers in at the last minute.
While he acknowledges 'we're not going to double our sales in a week,' he said the goal is to sell at least 1,000 more tickets.
Those looking to purchase tickets can use the discount code '15SIERRA' to receive 15% off four-day passes.
'This is a very passionate community and there's a lot of love out there for this festival,' Margulies added. 'We're hopeful that people will come and rally.'
