Brief
New York Attorney General sues Evolutions Festival over $243,000 in unpaid refunds
The lawsuit alleges the EDM festival pocketed advanced ticket sales and failed to reimburse fans.
By Felo News Desk · Published
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit on Sept. 29 against the organizers of Evolutions Festival, alleging they kept more than $243,000 in advanced ticket sales and did not issue any refunds to the over 500 consumers who bought tickets for the three‑day event scheduled for September 2025.
What happened
Evolutions Festival, slated for upstate New York with headliners Alison Wonderland, Of The Trees and Ganja White Night, was cancelled less than two weeks before its planned start. The AG’s office says the promoters collected the advance payments but failed to return any money after the cancellation.
What the reports add
Billboard notes that the festival had run annually for five years before the 2025 edition was called off. The venue, Sugar Mountain Performing Arts Center, initially blamed permitting issues, but later disputed that claim, stating it possessed all required permits and that Evolutions failed to provide essential paperwork such as signed contracts and liability insurance.
What was said
Attorney General James said, "Concertgoers and vendors who spend their hard‑earned money in New York should know that my office has their back," as reported by Billboard.
How it came about
The cancellation followed a dispute between Evolutions Festival and Sugar Mountain over venue permits and insurance. Evolutions has responded by filing its own lawsuit against the venue, alleging the venue’s failure to secure permits caused the cancellation.
Key facts
- New York AG Letitia James sued Evolutions Festival on Sept. 29 for failing to refund $243,000. (billboard.com)
- The festival was cancelled less than two weeks before its scheduled start in September 2025. (billboard.com)
- More than 500 ticket buyers were affected by the lack of refunds. (billboard.com)
- Venue Sugar Mountain Performing Arts Center said it had all permits and blamed the festival for missing paperwork. (billboard.com)
Sources
- [1] billboard.com — originally reported as “‘Failed to Issue a Single Refund: New York AG Sues Music Festival That Allegedly Ghosted Fans”
