For the first time, riders of the red behemoths can purchase the first ticket of the day early. Starting at 1 a.m. Saturday morning, tickets for the 10 a.m. bus tour will go on sale online.
On April 25, double decker bus rides will take place from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. for the 20th anniversary of the Double Decker Arts Festival.
Passengers will receive a tour from the Square to the Grove and back. Buses will depart at the corner of Jackson Avenue East next to Roosters and Oxford Grillehouse.
“The bus rides are a popular part of the festival (and) we wanted to offer a way for attendees to plan their day,” Wayne Andrews, Yoknapatawpha Arts Council (YAC) Director, said.
This year, for the first time since the rides began, visitors can buy golden tickets to the earliest bus ride available.
“This allows Double Decker fans to enjoy a ride on the historic buses and then directly explore the art exhibits and music,” Andrews said.
The bus will get back early enough for visitors to fully experience the festival, bus coordinator and Director of Parking, Matt Davis, said.
“Riding the Double Decker buses adds to the overall feel of the festival,” Davis said. “It gives them a chance to connect with actual reason for the festival.”
Fast Pass Tickets will be available online from 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. This gives ticket buyers five chances to ride the bus.
“There are $2 tickets that are Fast Pass tickets that get you in front of the line so you don’t have to wait,” recreation administration student, Daniel Michiels, said. “But if you wanna just ride the bus just for free, that’s the lower deck with no viewing of upstairs.”
A bus leaves every 30 minutes and the rides last 30 minutes. Double Decker bus rides during the arts festival serve more than one purpose for the city of Oxford, Michiels said.
“All the proceeds of the ticket sales go towards offering a thousand dollar scholarship for 4 years, $1,000 a year to a graduate, a high school graduate in Lafayette County,” Michiels said.
This is put on in part by The Rotary Club of Oxford, a service organization. Tickets can be purchased at doubledeckerfestival.com or rotaryoxford.com.
