Ontario electronic music festival Ever After goes offline one week before start date

Organizers of electronic music festival Ever After said the event would not take place next weekend after failing to receive necessary permits from the local township of Oro-Medonte, Ontario, which raised concerns. concerns about safety and security issues.

A brief statement on Ever After’s social media page promised more details soon, and said ticket holders should “plan accordingly”. He did not use the words “cancelled” or “postponed”. A representative did not provide additional information and would not comment on the refunds.

As of Thursday afternoon, tickets and hotel packages were still on sale on the festival website.

The announcement comes less than a week before spectators descend on the Burl’s Creek lot in Oro-Medonte, about 30 kilometers north of Barrie, and days after performers on the bill began performing. telling fans on social media that they had been informed that the festival was it is not moving forward.

Ever After was scheduled to take place August 11-14 and feature Canadian artists Rezz and Zeds Dead, as well as international artist Dillon Francis and DJ duo Slander.

Moon Newhook planned to attend this year’s festival after tickets she had purchased for the 2020 edition were postponed to this year due to pandemic closures. She says she no longer has the cost of three VIP tickets, accommodation and other related expenses which total around $3,000.

“I’m frustrated, upset, I want to scream,” she said.

“I wish they’d told us before, so we could definitely “plan around it” and cancel airfare, accommodation, whatever else we needed to do.”

Newhook said she was in the process of asking her bank for a refund, but without Ever After announcing they had “cancelled” the weekend, it was proving difficult.

The festival’s prospects have been in question since July 21, when local leaders raised concerns at a special council meeting.

Shawn Binns, director of operations and community services for Oro-Medonte, recommended in a report presented at the meeting that a special events permit be denied to the event, which was expected to attract up to 15,000 people. per day.

The report said organizers failed to address “concerns and requirements regarding safety, construction/structure, traffic management, fire safety, community impact, food and beverage and appropriate medical and emergency plans”.

Ever After posted on social media six days later telling ticket holders ‘there is an appeal process that we are currently following and looking at other options’ to ensure the event goes ahead. in 2022.

However, according to Oro-Medonte spokeswoman Jenny Legget, that option never existed.

“The reality is that there is no process in place to appeal the council’s decision – it’s just not possible,” she said in an interview.

“It’s a pity for the ticket holders.”

The township noted that Ever After had leased the land at Burl’s Creek for the weekend with plans to incorporate an optional camping experience. In the years leading up to the pandemic, the event was held at the Bingemans Recreation Site and Campground in Kitchener, Ontario.

For weeks, ticket holders have posted on social media about efforts to get refunds from Ever After. Many say they were ignored.

Alicia Sewell has spent $1,500 on tickets for the weekend and estimates $3,000 more on staff who will replace her at a dance academy she owns in Trenton, Ont. She says that with notice, she would have made other plans.

“If they knew months ago that this wasn’t going to happen, they should have just been honest and refunded everyone’s money,” she said.

“Right now, I’m even afraid of not being reimbursed.”

Newhook said his experience could affect how he thinks about future events.

“I don’t know if I will be able to attend other concerts,” she said. “I will definitely have trust issues.”

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on August 4, 2022.