Greenport’s Mardi Gras party cancelled after slow ticket sales
The Mardi Gras party planned for Feb. 9 to help promote business in Greenport village during its slower season was cancelled, according to event organizer Rena Wilhelm, who also owns the White Weathered Barn on Front Street.
“I just couldn’t sell the tickets,” Ms. Wilhelm said. “There were people online saying they were going, but nobody was buying the tickets and I couldn’t risk it. I needed to sell at least a 100 and there were only 13.”
Proceeds from the event would have benefitted the North Fork Education Initiative, which creates educational programs and opportunities that focus on the arts, environment and community, according to the event’s blog.
“It was a great idea, I just needed help and a little more collaboration, but it wasn’t happening,” Ms. Wilhelm said. “I’m disappointed more people didn’t get involved, but I’m also relieved because I was taking it on all myself. This was the point to get excited about something, but I only had three of the same merchants get involved that tend to volunteer for everything and I couldn’t get anyone to post it to their Facebook or share it. It’s sad because the village has a real potential for greatness.”
She said she’d already lost a couple hundred dollars preparing for the event before decorations even came into play.
“I would have love to have it next year,” she said. “I think if I had more people helping and the costs involved weren’t as high as they were it would become a really successful event.”
