The Bash
The Bash is a two-sided online marketplace, founded in 1997 and operated as a subsidiary of The Knot Worldwide, that connects party hosts and event planners in the U.S. and Canada with local entertainment and event service vendors through subscription memberships and per-booking transaction fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersNorwalk, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Bash does
The Bash, operating since 1997 under the legal entity GigMasters.com, Inc. and headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, runs a two-sided online marketplace connecting party hosts and event planners with local entertainment and event service vendors across the United States and Canada. The platform lists vendors across musical entertainment (DJs, cover bands, jazz bands, mariachi, soloists), variety acts (magicians, comedians, impersonators, face painters), event services (photographers, caterers, bartenders, planners), party rentals, speakers and officiants, and a dedicated virtual event services category. Underlying platform features include vendor profile hosting, search by category and location, quote requests, booking management, a verified reviews system (210,000+ reviews cited), and EventPay, an integrated online payment system powered by Stripe that disburses funds to vendor bank accounts within one to two business days and backs a 100% money-back guarantee.
The company monetizes through two streams: annual vendor membership subscriptions in two tiers (Basic at $129/year for local visibility across three categories and PRO at $219/year for regional visibility across eight categories with double the lead volume) and a 5% transaction fee (with a $20 minimum) applied only when a booking is confirmed. Vendor acquisition emphasizes lead generation value, with claims of an average of 23 leads per month and 90% of vendors receiving their first lead within three days. Demand-side acquisition relies on content marketing and SEO around party themes, planning guides, and free planning tools (budgeter, checklists). The Bash operates as a subsidiary brand within The Knot Worldwide portfolio alongside The Knot and The Bump, and has been positioned since its 2017 rebrand (from GigMasters) to serve all party and event types rather than weddings alone.
The Bash firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Bash
- Legal name
- GigMasters.com, Inc.
- Website
- https://thebash.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Bash is a two-sided online marketplace, founded in 1997 and operated as a subsidiary of The Knot Worldwide, that connects party hosts and event planners in the U.S. and Canada with local entertainment and event service vendors through subscription memberships and per-booking transaction fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Bash industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Vendor Marketplace
- NAICS
- Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live Music Booking (Bands, Soloists, DJs) (HSACAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Party Venue Sourcing & Booking Services (HSACACAL)
Keywords
Where The Bash is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Norwalk
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
The Bash business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Vendor Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions for vendors (entertainers, event professionals) with two tiers: Basic for local visibility (3 categories) and PRO for regional visibility (8 categories) with 2x more leads. Paid annually.
- Booking Transaction Fees: 5% fee on events booked through the platform ($20 minimum), charged only when a booking is confirmed. This aligns platform incentives with vendor success.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Basic membership for local vendors - 3 categories, local visibility |
| Subscription | Annual | PRO membership for vendors seeking more exposure - 8 categories, 2x leads |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Bash product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Bash operates a two-sided online marketplace that connects party hosts and event planners with local entertainment and event service vendors across the United States and Canada. Vendors (DJs, bands, magicians, photographers, caterers, party rentals, speakers, officiants) pay annual membership subscriptions for visibility and lead generation, while party hosts search the directory, request quotes, and book vendors. The platform monetizes through vendor membership fees and a 5% transaction fee on confirmed bookings, with payment processing handled through EventPay powered by Stripe.
Product overview
The Bash is a marketplace platform connecting party hosts with local vendors and entertainers nationwide. The core product is a two-sided marketplace featuring vendor profiles across musical entertainment (DJs, cover bands, jazz bands, rock bands, mariachi, soloists), variety acts (comedians, magicians, face painters, impersonators), event services (photographers, caterers, bartenders, planners), party rentals, speakers and officiants, and virtual event services. The platform is powered by EventPay (Stripe-powered payment processing), and offers vendors tiered membership programs (Basic at $79/year for local visibility and PRO at $169/year for regional exposure with 2x leads). Free planning tools include budget checkers, checklists, and themed party inspiration articles. The platform serves both the United States and Canada, with over 525,000 events booked and 210,000+ verified reviews.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Bash Marketplace A nationwide online marketplace connecting party hosts and event planners with local entertainment and event service vendors across all event types, featuring verified reviews, vendor profiles, search by category and location, quote requests, and booking functionality.
- EventPay A secure online payment system powered by Stripe that enables vendors to receive client deposits and balance payments directly to their bank account within 1–2 business days, with a 100% money-back guarantee for buyers.
- Vendor Membership Annual subscription membership for entertainment vendors (DJs, bands, magicians, photographers, caterers, etc.) providing profile listing, category-based visibility, lead generation, quote and booking management, and EventPay payment processing. Available in Basic ($79–$129/year for local visibility across 3 categories) and PRO ($169–$219/year for regional visibility across 8 categories with 2x more leads and a $50 featured-listing coupon).
- Virtual Event Services Catalog of remote vendor services for online events including virtual DJs, virtual magicians, virtual caricature artists, virtual tarot card readers, virtual impersonators, and virtual entertainers for Zoom parties and online celebrations, serving the United States and Canada.
Quantifiable outcome
- Vendors typically receive an average of 23 leads per month
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Bash
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Bash technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
The Bash partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Knot Worldwide (Parent Company)coreThe Bash is part of The Knot Worldwide family of brands, which also includes The Knot (wedding planning) and The Bump (baby/parenting). The parent company provides corporate infrastructure, privacy policies, and operates the platform under the GigMasters.com, Inc. entity.
- StripecoreStripe powers the EventPay online payment system on The Bash, providing secure payment processing for vendor transactions. Vendors receive funds directly in their bank accounts within 1-2 business days through this integration.
- The KnotminorSister brand in the wedding planning space. While The Bash focuses on all party types (not just weddings), it is marketed alongside The Knot as part of the same brand family, benefiting from cross-promotion to wedding planners.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Bash competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GigSalad: GigSalad operates a two-sided marketplace connecting party hosts and event planners with local entertainment vendors (DJs, bands, magicians, photographers). It is the closest direct competitor to The Bash in the party entertainment booking category.
- Thumbtack: Thumbtack runs a large general services marketplace that includes event entertainment vendors alongside home and personal services. It competes for both party hosts and entertainment vendors with similar lead-generation and project-based booking mechanics.
- Bark: Bark.com is a professional services marketplace that connects customers with local professionals across categories including events and entertainment. Its marketplace model, lead-based pricing, and category overlap make it a direct competitor.
- Eventbrite: Eventbrite is a ticketing and event management platform used by organizers hosting parties, performances, and entertainment events. While not a direct vendor marketplace, it competes for event-organizer mindshare and demand in adjacent event services.
- WeddingWire: WeddingWire is a wedding vendor marketplace that, following its merger with The Knot Worldwide, sits alongside The Bash within the same parent ecosystem. It competes for wedding entertainment and service vendors and overlaps heavily in the wedding use case.
- GigMasters (legacy brand context): GigMasters is the legacy brand identity of The Bash prior to its 2017 rebrand. The corporate entity GigMasters.com, Inc. continues to operate the platform under The Bash consumer-facing name.
Broad incumbents
- The Knot: The Knot is The Bash's sister brand and the flagship wedding planning platform within The Knot Worldwide. It offers vendor marketplaces and planning tools that compete with The Bash in the wedding category while benefiting from significantly larger brand awareness and traffic.
- Yelp: Yelp is a broad local services and reviews platform that surfaces event entertainment vendors (DJs, photographers, caterers) in local search results. While not purpose-built for party booking, it competes for both vendor discovery traffic and party-host intent.
Others
- Zola: Zola is an end-to-end wedding planning platform with vendor directories and registry services. It overlaps with The Bash in wedding entertainment vendor discovery and competes for the same wedding party-host demand pool.
- Angi: Angi (formerly Angie's List) is a leading home and local services marketplace. While focused on home services, its marketplace model and prosumer lead flow overlap operationally with The Bash's entertainment vendor lead system.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Bash social profiles
Digital presenceThe Bash financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Bash leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Bash funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Bash M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Bash
What does The Bash do?
The Bash operates a two-sided online marketplace that connects party hosts and event planners with local entertainment and event service vendors across the United States and Canada. Vendors (DJs, bands, magicians, photographers, caterers, party rentals, speakers, officiants) pay annual membership subscriptions for visibility and lead generation, while party hosts search the directory, request quotes, and book vendors. The platform monetizes through vendor membership fees and a 5% transaction fee on confirmed bookings, with payment processing handled through EventPay powered by Stripe.
Is The Bash a public or private company?
The Bash is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Bash founded?
The Bash was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Bash based?
The Bash is headquartered in Norwalk, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Bash make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Vendor Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are booking Transaction Fees.
Who are The Bash's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GigSalad, Thumbtack, Bark, Eventbrite, WeddingWire and GigMasters (legacy brand context). Broad incumbents are The Knot and Yelp. Others are Zola and Angi.
Does The Bash have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Bash.
What industry is The Bash in?
The Bash's product category is Event Vendor Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAHAA, Live Music Booking (Bands, Soloists, DJs), with a secondary code of HSACACAL, Party Venue Sourcing & Booking Services. Its NAICS code is 7114 and its SIC code is 7900.