‘(This) just doesn’t happen at any festival around the country’: CEO

How many people attended Darwin Festival and how many tickets were sold? The NT News found out the details of this year’s most successful D-Fest.

Festival chief executive Emily Mann and artistic director Felix Preval celebrate Darwin Festival end for 2019. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

THE 40th Darwin Festival has ended on a high note with record breaking sales and attendance.

This year more than 110,000 people attended the 18 day event.

Darwin Festival chief executive Emily Mann and artistic director Felix Preval were ecstatic at the Festival’s success.

“Darwin has come out every single night,” Mr Preval said.

DARWIN Festival smashes last year’s ticket sales record

“It was so heartening to see the community come together to share space at this wonderful time of year,” he said.

The 2019 program featured 609 performers, with 306 from the Northern Territory.

Ms Mann revealed a record breaking 50,436 tickets were sold out of 57,000 available.

“(This) just doesn’t happen at any festival around the country,” she said.

“We had, at present, 107 out of 165 ticketed performances sold out across the board … it’s record numbers.”

Preliminary research data revealed 24 per cent of festival-goers were from interstate and 5 per cent from overseas.

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Ms Mann said the Festival would work towards expanding in the coming years.

“It does sound like a lot (57,000 seats) but that’s the maximum we can probably put on,” she said.

“We’re really keen to look at innovative spaces, work with the Northern Territory Government, work with City of Darwin to open up new spaces and create venues.”