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Elmhurst University Jazz Festival

Harmony At Elmhurst University Jazz Festival with Seamless Online Ticketing

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Background

Elmhurst University Jazz Festival is an annual event that brings together jazz enthusiasts, musicians, and educators from all around the country. The festival has been going strong for over 50 years and has become a beloved tradition for the Elmhurst, Illinois community and beyond. With its vibrant atmosphere, world-class talent, and commitment to showcasing the best in jazz music, the Elmhurst University Jazz Festival is a must-see event for any fan of this iconic genre.

We all know that COVID took us by surprise and as restrictions increased, event management processes would change overnight, forcing thousands of organizations like Elmhurst University to seek alternative means of moving forward with what had always been an in-person gathering. Aware that the Jazz Festival would require a strong virtual event component, as well as an online ticketing solution, Brushfire was the natural pairing.

"It was an easy solution because it was all-in-one: it was ticketing, but it was also the live streaming, as opposed to trying to port different services."
Christopher Parsons
Festival Director

Solutions

Ticket Sale Solutions
The ease of online tickets allowed the festival to experience an increase in numbers as the convenience of buying a ticket from the comfort of one’s home proved to be preferable for many, especially those last-minute buyers.

Brushfire enables festival organizers to not only easily create and manage ticket sales, but also provide real-time reporting on valuable data and attendees to be used for future events.

On-Site Check-In Solutions
With online purchasing, also came the introduction of digital entry by way of a virtual ticket or scannable QR code. The director found that patrons enjoyed the ease of accessing their ticket directly from a mobile device or Apple Wallet, making on-site check-in a breeze! “I’m even telling people when they call in, don’t even bother with printing tickets- just show up with your phone.”

Thanks to Brushfire, bulk printing, printing materials, and clunky devices now seem like a thing of the past. Elmhurst was able to move away from outdated processes towards a more streamlined solution. They are now considering moving away from a traditional ticket counter or box office setup altogether, to a self-serve POS kiosk, eliminating long lines and manual processes.

Virtual Event Solution: Brushfire Online
Even once in-person events were set to resume, Elmhurst University recognized the value in retaining the virtual component. In the past, ticket availability was capped due to the size of the chapel where in-person events have always taken place. However, with the inclusion of the virtual viewing option, attendance numbers could expand beyond the confines of the venue, leading to an increase in attendance and in revenue. The university has the ability to incorporate additional revenue opportunities via the platform, such as online classes and on-demand viewing. Subsequently, with the infrastructure already in place, Parsons was able to easily replicate live event details of the past without duplicating efforts, ensuring a smooth pivot back to in-person attendance.

Already equipped with Brushfire’s online ticketing component, Elmhurst was able to easily transition to the Brushfire Online platform. BFO equips organizers with the digital tools necessary to successfully host and manage virtual events live, simulated, or on-demand.

Support Solutions
With new leadership at the helm, the Jazz Festival needed a support team that was prepared. The new director boasted about how equipped he felt as his predecessor, along with the assistance of Brushfire Support, had already laid a solid foundation. Moving forward, Brushfire was consistently quick to respond to any tickets or queries the organizers at the Jazz Festival had.

At Brushfire, we’ve stood on the power of incredible customer service and top-notch support since day one. Our team can help you get more out of our end-to-end event planning and management platform. Just let us know how we can help!

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