Poll: Is Suggested Donation the Same as Free?
July 21st, 2008
There’s a question I’ve been thinking about that I’d love to get your opinion on:
If an event has a suggested entrance donation of $X, do you consider it to be a free event?
A recent example is Sand in the City, which had a suggested entrance donation of $3 per person or $10 per family.
Do you consider an event like Sand in the City to be a free event? Put another way, would you expect to find it in Around the Sun’s roundup of free weekend events?
Tell me what you think in the poll below and/or via comments. (If you can’t see the poll, this link will take you to it.)
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4 Comments Add your own
1. Leah | July 21st, 2008 at 10:57 pm
In response to your “suggested donation” poll, I’d still love to see it listed on your blog, but maybe let us know ther’s a suggested donation.
I’ve only recently started reading your posts, but we’ve already used your suggestions several times to find fun, cheap, family-friendly events around town. I’d hate to miss out on something great because you didn’t list it due to a suggested donation.
Thanks for the great ideas, and please keep them coming!
2. KYouell | July 21st, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I’m abstaining since I’ve submitted an event with a donate/come for free option. But I do think that if the goal of the event isn’t fundraising but awareness raising or community building then the money isn’t the object and people who come and don’t pay the suggested fee are welcome. If you were looked down on and not welcomed then it’s not free. So it’s not as simple as “suggested donation” but it’s why the event is being held.
3. Neil | July 22nd, 2008 at 12:30 am
I’d say no, a suggested donation is not free. But, typically events with suggested donations are so cheap it’s not important.
4. Katie | July 22nd, 2008 at 9:30 am
From the point of view of someone who has done event organizing, I can tell you that nobody should be using that wording if they intend to give anyone a hard time about payment. If you can’t afford to pay, you should be just as welcome as anyone. Nobody can guarantee, though, that some doofus won’t use that language and then be a butt about it.
In the case of Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Square has policies that control what people are asked to give, and under what circumstances anyone can be excluded, etc. The event has to comply. It is a public space, after all.
Speaking again as an event organizer, if I were doing a suggested donation event, I’d be glad to take a call or email from a blog author or reporter asking for clarification. So, go ahead and ask. If you get a good “nobody will be turned away — be glad to have you list us” answer, list it, if not, don’t.
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