Ticket sales for this summer's Charlottetown Festival were about the same as they were in 2011, despite the staging of fewer performances.

That meant a larger average audience size, and more importantly lower costs. The Confederation Centre had to close for two weeks in January to help deal with a deficit of almost $400,000.

Overall the centre staged 16 fewer performances this year on the mainstage. The biggest cut was to the festival's second mainstage show. Last year the centre mounted two shows behind Anne of Green Gables: the Musical: The Full Monty and Buddy Holly. This year there was only one — Ring of Fire — and there were 19 fewer performances.

Overall there was a nine per cent drop in ticket sales for Ring of Fire versus The Full Monty and Buddy Holly last year. Anne saw a one per cent increase in sales, with three more performances staged.

On the festival's second stage, at the MacKenzie Theatre, Come All Ye had a spectacular year with a 48 per cent increase in ticket sales.

Despite what the centre calls a strong summer for the Charlottetown Festival it is still facing a deficit. Cost savings have helped pay down a notable amount, a spokesperson said. Those cost savings included staging two mainstage productions instead of three and reducing the size of the Anne orchestra.

The spokesperson would not disclose how large the current deficit is, saying the centre still has six months to make up that money. The Centre does not, however, believe it will have to close its doors for several weeks to cover losses, as it did earlier this year.