Well, looks like the Dalai Lama won’t be walking on the DTM in October, but he will be visiting. Some were a little surprised by the $200 VIP tickets at the Paramount and Pavilion events, so I looked into it.

Considering that the Dalai Lama does not charge speaking fees, and that he likes to encourage as many people to attend as possible, some locals were a little disappointed with the expensive ‘VIP’ ticket prices.

“There are a lot of Charlottesville folks who, I’m sure, would like to hear and see him, but will not be able to afford the tickets,” say Dalai Lama fan Bill Domenick. “As a frequent Pavilion visitor, you and I both know that the lawn/plaza area will afford absolutely no view at all.”

Indeed, tickets for a Dalai Lama event last year at Radio City Music Hall went for between $30-$40, and similar lectures by His Holiness in San Diego and Chicago were in the $25-30 range. Of course, tickets for an appearance at Western Connecticut State University this year went for as much as $200 in June, and last year two VIP tickets to a Dalai Lama appearance in Australia went for $10,000 each. READ MORE

Events People