Homecoming celebrations flooded everyone’s timelines last month, and now the revenue reports are in. According to The Grio, the cost to attend events were significantly more than years’ past.
The outlet pointed out that after nearly two years of hybrid and virtual celebrations, the return to in-person gatherings drove price taps for students and alumni high.
North Carolina Central University prices for example rose by $50 this year compared to 2021, The Grio highlighted. There was an uptick of about $100, for food vendors and general item merchants.
“There’s like a $2.5 million economic impact that comes into the city (of Durham) with all of the events we have,” North Carolina Central’s Chief Financial Officer Akua Matherson told Reuters as reported by Grio.
An event planner shared her experience planning price points for a Howard University alumni party. The Grio reported that she’d raised ticket prices from $35 to $50 due to rising venue costs, but still saw a significant uptick in attendance.
“I didn’t go (to homecoming) last year, which is a first,” said Samiria Percival, in a Reuters report. She’s a graduate of Prairie View A&M University in Texas. She told the outlet that she’d tripled her budget to $1,500 from 2019 after spending on flights, hotels and the “turn up” or the cost of libations, clothes and parties.
The outlet also pointed out that Howard University has raised its vendor fees from 2018 to $550 for early registrants and $750 for late registrants, per documents from the university’s website.
Another vendor that sold apparel from his company Dope Rebellion said he raised his prices and it was worth the sacrifice.
According to Reuters, Philip Garner, said he sold out of more than 300 shirts at a Hampton University marketplace, earning more than $7,500 in sales. He drove three house to re-up on sold-out materials and returned to the University’s festivities the next day.
“I was exhausted but, you know, this is normally like my best sales weekend,” Garner said.
