Electric Zoo (EZoo) has finally broken its silence regarding ticket refunds following the festival’s problem-ridden 2023 edition last September.
A statement posted to the festival’s social media channels today reads, in part, as follows: “We know those of you affected by the issues surrounding Electric Zoo 2023 have been eagerly awaiting a resolution. We also know it has been some time since our last communication and we sincerely apologize for the delay. You deserve answers, and we are now able to provide you with an update.”
EZoo’s update explains that See Tickets, the festival’s exclusive ticketing provider for 2023, will begin issuing refunds to “all remaining eligible ticketholders.” These eligible ticketholders will be contacted via email with further instructions and can expect their refunds to be processed by July 19, 2024.
According to the statement, eligible ticketholders include Friday, September 1, 2023 single or multi-day ticket holders who have not filed a dispute with their creditor nor received a previous face-value refund; and Sunday, September 3, 2023 single or multi-day ticketholders who were unable to access the event, as determined by entry scan data, and have not filed a dispute with their creditor nor received a previous face-value refund.
EZoo says these previous face-value refunds repaid Friday single-day ticket holders 100 percent of their original purchase, while two-day ticketholders were refunded 50 percent and three-day ticket holders were refunded 33 percent.
“When we first set out to bring you Electric Zoo 2023, our goal was to create a completely leveled-up experience that included new stage concepts, enhanced production, and so much more,” the statement continues. “We know we let you down. As we continue forward, we will work every day to earn back your trust and forgiveness.”
The declaration marks the first public communications from the NYC festival since September 3, the final day of EZoo 2023, which was marred by logistical nightmares, including the last-minute cancellation of day one, a three-hour delay on day two, marathon will-call lines, and overcrowding throughout the weekend.
In the days following the debacle, New York City Mayor Eric Adams threatened legal action against EZoo’s organizers—the same group behind Brooklyn venue Avant Gardner—due to their reported overselling of the event by 7,000 tickets on Sunday, leading to a dangerous gate-crashing incident. No charges were filed.
In the months since, the festival has been under intense scrutiny for its neglect to refund ticketholders and poor communication regarding the refund process, sending nothing but a single vague email, until now. In September, at least one New York law firm filed a class action lawsuit against the festival.
Read Electric Zoo’s full statement below.
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Featured image credit: Andrew Rauner.
