ALTON, Va. – After the Blue Ridge Rock Fest was abruptly canceled this weekend, hundreds of you have been sending in messages, looking for answers.
The biggest question — How do I get my money back?
”I personally won’t be going back to anything promoted by this group. Because just seeing how many people were left with nothing and had no sort of answers,” festival-goer Andy Brokaw said.
60,000 people at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival were sent home days early this weekend.
Organizers say it was cut short due to severe weather, but many festival-goers tell a very different story of unsanitary conditions, hazardous safety concerns and more.
Michael Guida says he drove ten hours to the festival — only to receive a flooded campground and an experience cut short.
”We’re really unsure what the refund situation is gonna be,” Guida said.
On Saturday, the festival released a statement on social media saying the cancellation brought them, “heavy hearts.”
They went on to say they are working to provide refund details, and they will share that information early this week when businesses reopen — but so far, there’s been nothing.
”Everybody deserves a refund, deserves to get their money back for really paying for a show that none of us got to experience or attend,” Guida said.
Brokaw says he’s heard nothing from the festival in terms of a refund — but says some banks are working with upset customers to get money back.
”There are a few bank companies that are willing to help customers, but right now E-Tix, which is primarily where a lot of people got their tickets from, has it on hold until they hear from Blue Ridge,” Brokaw said.
According to Brokaw, Blue Ridge Rock Fest is still working on processing refunds from 2021.
”That’s what the big concern is is that people still haven’t gotten their money back from 2021,” he said.
Brokaw wants promoter Jonathan Slye to be held accountable for what he says is a lack of preparation and overselling tickets.
”I hope that somebody at the higher level of law gets a hold of this. Whether that’s the attorney general, somebody needs to be held accountable. When you see a pattern like this and it’s the same family? That’s a clue,” Brokaw said.
10 News has continued to reach out to Blue Ridge Rock Fest and promoter Jonathan Slye, but still has not gotten a response. On the Blue Ridge Rock Fest website, they are already selling tickets for 2024.
We reached out to the festival’s venue, Virginia International Raceway for comment. They say they haven’t had any discussions yet about the future of the festival at VIR, as they are still getting the last of the campers out.
VIR says they will have talks in the coming months, but as of right now, they do have a multi-year agreement with Blue Ridge Rock Festival, and that hasn’t changed.
