Attendees of the ill-fated 2023 Electric Zoo festival will receive refunds more than nine months later, according to a statement released today by its organizers.
The New York-based electronic dance music festival, which took place over Labor Day weekend, descended into chaos on Randall's Island after the controversial cancellation of its first day, which organizers nebulously attributed to “supply chain disruptions” that hampered the construction of its main stage. .
Then chaos ensued on Electric Zoo's final day, Sept. 3, which was plagued by capacity concerns. After organizers issued a statement at midday announcing they were denying entry to the festival site, videos of attendees aggressively barging into its doors flooded social media.
Lawsuits piled up afterward, including a contentious class-action lawsuit filed by a pair of plaintiffs who cited safety issues arising from the “overbooking and overcrowding” event. Following the festival's conclusion, Electric Zoo's owners said they planned to issue refunds but stopped short of announcing a formal solution.
Electric Zoo in 2022 was purchased by the investment group behind Brooklyn hotspot Avant Gardner. About 88,000 people attended last year's festival, according to the NYPD, which confirmed at the time that the consortium oversold passes by about 7,000.
Electric Zoo has now announced that its ticketing partner, See Tickets, will begin issuing refunds. All remaining eligible passholders will receive an email with instructions and can expect refunds to be processed by July 19, they said.
“When we first set out to bring you Electric Zoo 2023, our goal was to create a completely enhanced experience that included new stage concepts, enhanced production and much more,” reads a statement released by the festival. “We know we let you down. As we move forward, we will work every day to regain your trust and forgiveness.”
Read Electric Zoo's full statement below.
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