2023 Blue Ridge Rock Festival attendees respond to 2024 cancelation
ALTON, Va. (WFXR) — On Friday, May 10, organizers of the Blue Ridge Rock Festival announced that the show will not go on for 2024. They claim the festival wasn’t “feasible” as they “are still awaiting a resolution for 2023.”
“I’m actually glad it was canceled because it was a major safety issue,” said Trinity Shaver.
Shaver was an attendee of the 2023 Blue Ridge Rock Festival, a festival she believes was not planned with accessibility or safety in mind. She said she wasn’t shocked to hear the news.
“I had a feeling this would happen. that they would cancel or worse would go through with the event but actually wasn’t prepared,” said Shaver.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 2024 Blue Ridge Rock Festival canceled
She isn’t the only past attendee not surprised by the cancellation. One woman tells WFXR News, eight months later, she’s still waiting on a refund.
“I have not got a refund yet, because I was relying on the company and the festival itself to issue a refund,” said Bray Vella, a 2023 festival attendee. “I have a very small local bank, so for me to try and contest it with them wasn’t a possibility.”
In a statement on their website, festival organizers said they would continue to focus on settling insurance claims and ensuring a resolution for everyone. However, past attendees say they want more.
“A lot of people got sick, a lot of people got damage from the storm on the campground, and lost valuable things. It’s disheartening that the festival goers have had to rely on Facebook post,” said Vella. “Honestly, {I want} a refund and actual honesty from them. You know, quit trying to blame it on the one storm that happened.”
“Honestly, I want accountability for the previous two years and transparency as to why this happened and for them to stop trying to use weather to try to basically get them out of the clear,” said Shaver.
Shaver says her family was able to get a refund five months after the event by disputing the charge with their bank. However, she and her mom — who uses an electric scooter — filed a complaint about a lack of accessibility promised at the festival. She said they were told state agencies would no longer investigate. She hopes organizers will take more precautions or have other agencies manage them if there is still a future for the festival.
“It’s a festival you really want to do well because it’s in rural Appalachia. It’s an amazing lineup. You want this to work, but we need people to actually properly host this event, and I just don’t think they’re capable of doing that. So, I would like someone else to run this event or having the state or other companies step in to really make sure this is an event that can be held here,” said Shaver.
On the festival’s website, organizers said that all items purchased for the 2024 festival would be refunded. They said buyers should keep an eye on their email for more information.
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