The Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts has partnered with BermudaTix to institute a convenient, new ticketing system for next year's Festival to replace its former Box Office facility on Front Street.

Designed to make purchasing on-line tickets even easier for patrons with Internet access, with effect from November 10 the new system will also allow anyone ordering on www.bermudafestival.org, to print their tickets at home.

For those without Internet access, BdaTix will process telephone orders for Festival patrons who dial (441) 232-2255.

In another innovative move, callers in Canada and the US will be able to purchase their tickets toll-free by telephoning the Bermuda Festival Call Centre on 1-800-309-8497 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday to Friday, and between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekends.

A $3 surcharge per ticket will be levied on telephone purchases.

Meanwhile, in Bermuda tickets will be sold from November 17 at both BdaTix ticket centres, one of which is located at Transact in Internet Lane (adjoining Trends shoe shop) on Reid Street, and the other at Picture Perfect in the Heron Bay Plaza, Southampton. Both centres will be open from Monday to Saturday during regular business hours.

"With the introduction of call centres, longer hours of operation, and the ability to print tickets at home, we will no longer be operating a Bermuda Festival Box Office on Front Street," Festival chairman John Ellison said. "We take this opportunity to thank our loyal and friendly team of box office volunteers who have worked diligently over the years to ensure the success of the Festival.

As in previous years, we encourage our patrons to buy their tickets early to avoid disappointment."

The 2009 Bermuda Festival is set to be the largest ever, with more performers and performances than ever before. Since next year is also the 400th anniversary of Bermuda's settlement, the Festival will be paying special homage to Bermudian talent, with the likes of Not the Um Um Players, Heather Nova and Kenneth Amis taking part.

Yet another "first" for the 2009 Festival of the Performing Arts will be the addition of the Fringe Festival, 'Dahn De Hill,' to be held at Daylesford Theatre from January 21 to 30.

This will provide for a wider array of acts and later performance hours, and include poetry readings, stand-up comedy, and jazz performances.

Tickets for Fringe events will be sold online from December 1 onwards.

Venues for mainstream Festival performances will be: City Hall Theatre, Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts, St. Paul's Church in Paget, St. John's Church in Pembroke, and Wesley Methodist Church in Hamilton.

Ticket prices for most performances will be $60 for adults and $25 for students.

For further information on all events see website www.bermudafestival.org.