Canadian event producer Trixstar LIVE is putting a fresh spin on outdoor events, combining reserved seating with table service for a truly VIP experience.
Belly laughs are good for the soul. In fact, there are countless science-backed reasons why we should all laugh more. Trixstar LIVE, our earliest Canadian client, would agree. A year into the COVID-19 shelter-in-place, the creative minds behind the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival created a safe, inclusive way to gather outside, let loose, and give back to the community. Since its 2021 debut, the festival continues to grow and celebrate all forms of performance comedy, from locals to superstars.
What makes the experience so unique is its outdoor setup resembling a cabaret-style comedy club — powered by Tixr Arena. Now in its third year, the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival returns to Edmonton and Calgary and expands to Halifax this August for three wildly-hilarious weekends. Tickets to see Jerry Seinfeld, Jonathan Van Ness, Andrew Schulz, and more soon-to-be- announced personalities buy more than just laughs. Each sale is an investment in the local community and host parks as part of Trixstar LIVE’s movement to help the helpers.
Activating Tixr Arena for socially-distanced seats
In order to adhere to the ever-changing restrictions in the early days of the pandemic, Trixstar LIVE came up with a new concept for outdoor events with reserved seating. They needed a nimble partner who could adapt and pivot alongside them as the rules around large gatherings kept shifting. Trixstar LIVE looked to Tixr Arena to pioneer the return of concerts and live comedy performances in Canada and safely sell reserved, socially-distanced tables with in-seat food and beverage service across 12 events.The team realized quickly that they were onto something with such high demand for low-risk outdoor entertainment. In 2022, they focused efforts to quickly expand the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival series to 7 events with Tixr Arena powering seat-selection and add-on sales for lawn chairs and throws to pick up onsite. If questions arose, the Tixr team provided "exemplary customer service” according to Trina Vinet, Trixstar LIVE’s Experience & Administration Coordinator.
Solidifying a long-term partnership
Fast forward to 2023, and pandemic restrictions may be a thing of the past, yet The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival’s reserved seating concept persists. This summer, fans can select a seat at any table and make new friends outside their pods. Anyone can enroll in a payment plan to pay in installments with no interest, and returning customers can even take advantage of exclusive early access to this year’s events. If events, price levels, or sale types sell out, built-in Waitlist functionality also enables the Trixstar LIVE team to better gauge audience growth and demand.
Like all great partnerships, this one is built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared entrepreneurial spirit as we continue to blaze new trails across our respective industries. “If Tixr doesn’t already have a solution, their team is always working to find ways to innovate with our needs in mind,” says Mike Anderson, President of Trixstar LIVE. Anderson’s had a front row seat for the platform’s rapid evolution, pushing his own team to take advantage of new features and enhancements in real-time while influencing the product roadmap.
"Tixr helped grow our business coming out of the most difficult time our industry has ever seen.”
The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival returns to Alberta July 14th and 15th in Edmonton and August 26th and 27th in Calgary and expands to Halifax, Nova Scotia August 11-12. Watch this space for tickets and forthcoming lineup announcements.
Looking for a creative partner to grow your reserved events? Schedule a demo of Tixr Arena today.
