Christopher BarrettOrganisers of the 100,000-capacity Electric Zoo festival in New York City cancelled the first day, 1 September, of the event just hours before the gates were due to open at Randall’s Island Park, while ticket holders were allegedly locked out on the event’s final day.
The electronic music festival’s promoters Made Event said supply chain issues had prevented the main stage from being built in time for the event to go ahead as planned on Friday, with doors having been due to open at 3pm. Artists scheduled to perform on the day included Kx5, Excision, The Blessed Madonna, Griz and The Chainsmokers.
The festival’s organisers issued a statement on Friday explaining that despite their “tireless efforts and round-the-clock commitment” they had been forced to keep the gates closed: “This year has presented unparalleled challenges for everyone. The global supply chain disruptions have impacted industries worldwide, and, sadly, our beloved festival has not been immune. These unexpected delays have prevented us from completing the construction of the main stage in time for Day 1.”
The festival’s last two days, 2-3 September, went ahead but there were reports and video footage posted online of attendees rushing the gates on Sunday, 3 September, after ticketholders had allegedly been turned away due to the event already being full.
Electric Zoo issued a statement this morning on social media promising that anyone denied entry on Sunday would be issued with a full refund.
In June last year, LiveStyle sold Made Event to the investment firm behind Brooklyn event complex Avant Gardner for $15 million (£11.8m).
Electric Zoo was first staged in the US in 2009, with international editions following in South America, Japan and China.