Although our team was not able to take up the opportunity to attend Electric Zoo in New York City this year, we were able to get the scoop from the best storytellers: you! We appreciate those that shared their festival experience with us on our socials. We consolidated the weekend and have the recap here for you all to indulge in. For those that may be wondering, ‘What the HELL happened at Ezoo?!’ or ‘How do I get my refund?’ – here’s what you need to know.
Some background
Avant Gardner is a live music entertainment brand with a world-class event space in Brooklyn. It’s home to the open-air club, The Brooklyn Mirage, and in 2022, the investment group behind Avant Gardner bought the New York promoter, Made Event, which owned Electric Zoo, for $15 million. The deal included operating the 2022 Electric Zoo festival from September 2–4.
What went down
Day 1
On Friday morning, Electric Zoo announced that night one was canceled. Organizers blamed global supply chain disruptions for not completing mainstage, and therefore, canceled the first day. Some believe this was due to lack of planning, organization, and expertise. Others rumor that the festival organizers are in debt and couldn’t afford the expenses, production, etc.
Day 2
On Saturday, it was announced only a couple hours before doors, that the festival would open 2 hours later than initially planned. Supposedly this delay was a domino effect from day one and personnel and production issues still needed to be mended. Attendees were waiting in line all day at will and some people claim they didn’t even get theirs because the event was practically over. Inside the venue, some stages were still not completed and some of the screens were not fully operating.
Day 3
To put the cherry on top of the fiasco of a weekend, Ezoo publicly stated they reached max capacity and refused entry to ticket holders. People were denied entry, even though they purchased a ticket. Swarms of people began storming the entrance, passing the gates without a security check, prompting a safety concern for police officers, staff, and other festival goers.
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It is without a doubt that Electric Zoo failed to meet people’s expectations. Their lack of preparation was an inconvenience to those that carefully planned. Their lack of communication left people stranded. Their lack of coordination left people unsafe. They over-promised and under-delivered, costing people their expenses and time.
Transportation to and from the island as well as the line was apparently a nightmare. Some reported that they paid for ferry tickets and some people didn’t but were still allowed on, leaving them feeling ripped off.
On the bright side
For peace of mind, Electric Zoo has announced that they will be refunding Friday ticket holders.
We will be providing a full refund for your Friday ticket. For those who hold multiple-day tickets, you will receive credit for one of the days. Similarly, all Friday ferry and bus ticket holders will receive a full refund, and those with multiple-day transport tickets will receive a refund equivalent to the amount of one day. We will ensure this process is as seamless and prompt as possible.”
However, it is noted in the ticketing terms & conditions that this excludes fees and/or services: ‘You understand that in all instances, the maximum remedy you may receive for any cancellation of any part of the Festival, if any, will be the face value of your Ticket, excluding all fees and/or service charges paid by you in connection with the purchase of Your Ticket.’
There has been no further information released regarding refunds, but feel free to forward your dissatisfaction to info@electriczoofestival.com and/or help@seetickets.us to reach their customer care teams and respectfully request a refund. We highly recommend submitting documentation such as pictures, videos, phone records, and writing an honest, detailed explanation of what you encountered. If you are concerned that your ticket may not be refunded then your next best bet is to dispute the charge on your card and use your email communication as an effort to remedy the issue.
Other than the ticketing and production fiascos, fans reported that the music was great, the afters were insane, and they made the best of their time while in NYC. Marshmello dropped some riddim, GRiZ threw the funk down and b2b with Zeds Dead, and the energy at Kai Wachi was incredible.
Some people just got lucky, radiated PLUR, and were able to have a good time. Others were left stranded and disappointed. What are your thoughts? Did good music make up for bad planning? Check out some of the hardest sets on our page and let us know what you think!