- A full pass gives you the workshop programme, every party and the social dancing for the whole festival.
- Prices rise in phases at published deadlines. The same pass costs less the earlier you buy it.
- Partner Up is two full passes bought together at a better price. You are not tied to each other on the floor.
- Masterclasses, rooms and food are not in the full pass at most festivals, BCR included.
- Cannot come after all? At BCR you can transfer your pass to someone else in about a minute.
Festival websites throw a lot of words at you: full pass, party pass, Partner Up, early bird, phase 3, masterclass. This guide explains what they mean, with Bachata Czech Republic Festival (Prague, 26 to 28 February 2027) as the worked example. Other festivals use similar ideas, but pass names, inclusions and conditions vary, so check each organiser's terms when you compare.
What a full pass includes
The full pass is the standard bachata festival ticket. At BCR it gives one named person entry to:
- all workshops across the three days, in every room, following the published program
- all parties and social dancing: the Friday welcome party, the Saturday gala night with the shows, and the Sunday farewell party
- watching the Jack and Jill competition
Every pass carries its own QR code. At check-in we scan it, check the name against your ID and give you a wristband that gets you into every room for the weekend.
What a full pass does not include
At BCR, as at most festivals, these are separate:
- Masterclasses, bootcamps and specialty classes, booked separately
- Accommodation, see festival rooms at Hotel Olympik
- Food and drinks
- Travel to Prague, see the travel guide
Why the price keeps changing: phases
Almost every bachata festival sells passes in phases. The price goes up at deadlines that are published in advance, and the last price is at the door. Organisers do this because they have to pay artists, venues and flights months before the weekend, and early buyers make that possible.
For you, the rule is simple: the same pass costs less the earlier you buy it. At BCR every phase, its dates and its price are listed on the tickets page, so nothing happens as a surprise. The number shown there is always today's price, all in, with no booking fee added at checkout.
The at-the-door price is the highest one, and it also depends on there still being room, which no festival can promise in advance.
Partner Up: two passes, one better price
Partner Up is two full passes bought together at a lower price than two separate passes. It is a nice way to come with a friend, a partner or your dance buddy. You are not tied to each other on the floor. Each dancer chooses their own role at checkout (leader, follower or role rotation) and each gets their own pass with their own name and QR code.
Leader, follower or role rotation?
When you buy, you choose a role. Festivals use it to balance leaders and followers in workshops. Role rotation means you are happy to dance either role in workshops, and at BCR there are dedicated RoleRotation workshops too.
Party passes and day passes
Some festivals sell a party pass (nights only) or day passes. BCR currently sells the Full Pass and Partner Up only. A party pass may go on sale later, depending on how many full passes are sold, because the full pass always comes first. The one exception is the competition: entrants can take a Competitor Party Pass that covers the night parties and the competition itself, or a Competitor Full Pass for the whole festival. Both are explained on the competition page.
Promo codes
Many schools and instructors have a referral code for their students. At BCR you enter it at checkout and the discount comes off before you pay, once per dancer, so on Partner Up it comes off twice. If you run a school, write to us and we will set up a code for your students.
Transfers and refunds
Plans change. At BCR passes are non-refundable, but they are transferable, and you can do it yourself in about a minute: open your ticket from the email, choose Transfer to someone else, enter the new holder's name exactly as on their ID and their email, and pay the 10 EUR transfer fee by card. The new pass arrives in their inbox at once. Transfers are online only, until 25 February 2027, and cannot be made at the venue. The details are on refunds and transfers.
Always type your name exactly as it is on your ID when you buy. At check-in we compare the two, and a nickname or a different spelling counts as a mismatch.
How to get the most out of your pass
- Buy in an early phase. It is the single biggest saving.
- Come with a friend and use Partner Up.
- Sleep at the venue. No taxis at 5 am and more time for dancing. See rooms.
- Arrive Friday, leave Monday. The farewell party is often the best social of the weekend.
- Plan your workshops on the program and leave room for the nights.
Still choosing a weekend? Compare the bachata festivals in Prague in 2027 and the best bachata festivals in Europe. Thinking of competing? Here is how the Bachata Social World Cup qualifier works.
Ready? Get your Full Pass or Partner Up for BCR 2027. If this is your first festival, read what to expect at your first bachata festival next.
Questions people ask
What does a bachata festival full pass include?
Why does the price of a festival pass go up?
What is Partner Up?
Does BCR sell party passes or day passes?
Can I get a refund on my pass?
Jorge and Mónica are professional bachata dancers with more than fifteen years of teaching behind them. They run Jorge y Mónica Academy in Prague, organise Spanish Bachata Training Camp and Bachata Czech Republic Day and Night, and founded Bachata Czech Republic Festival, whose first edition in 2026 brought 600 dancers from more than 40 countries to Prague.
