It’s been a weird couple of weeks for festivals, as cancellations and issues continue to arise. First, after a myriad of issues during and after the pandemic, the BUKU Music + Arts Project in New Orleans announced their 2023 event will not take place, stating “We don’t know exactly what the future will look like…” Then Drumcode Festival in Malta cancelled its upcoming September event, citing “serious failings” and a “lack of communication” from Pollen, a festival and event company. Pollen has since been at the forefront of criticism, with multiple sources claiming the company hasn’t paid staff and is on the brink of collapse.
Now Ever After Music Festival, which was set to take place August 11th-14th at Burl’s Creek in Canada, has officially announced its cancellation, just one week before the event is set to take place, and is now rumored to be facing bankruptcy.
The official cancellation announcement stated, “all ticket buyers will receive an e-mail with more information about their orders and their options next week,” yet thousands of ticket holders have still received no word. Many have already cut their losses amidst rumors the festival is going bankrupt.
Up until this year, Ever After has been organized by Beyond Oz Productions, who have been confronted with difficulties ever since the pandemic put the event on pause two years ago. According to CTV News, the company filed for bankruptcy last December, claiming more than $5.6 million in total liabilities. The 2022 event, however, was being organized by Unity Travel, who has been facing their own share of troubles leading to the event’s cancellation.
In July, the festival was denied a special events permit from Oro-Medonte, after failing to receive the proper approvals from various agencies. Additionally, according to CTV News, at least two of the hotels with blocked rooms listed on Ever After’s website never received payment.
Ticket holders are left in the dark on whether to contact Unity Travel or the Beyond Oz Productions regarding refunds, but according to Ever After’s official cancellation post, they should be receiving emails with more info soon.
Source: CTV News
