Ticketholders seek answers as Ever After Music Fest looks unlikely to go ahead

With two weeks left until the supposed start of the Ever After Music Festival, ticket holders are left wondering if the festival will even happen.

Initially planned to take place in Kitchener, the festival was put on hold when the pandemic hit. Since then, the event has moved to Burl's Creek in Oro-Medonte.

However, it's looking next to impossible that the event will come to fruition. 

At the end of July, town council denied a special events permit for the organizer after it failed to get the proper health and safety approvals.

"I think it would be extremely challenging to be able to meet the criteria within that period of time," said Harry Hughes, Oro-Medonte Mayor. "When the report came to council, none of the agencies had signed off, nor had there been any securities posted to make sure people were paid in conjunction with the event."

In response, the festival took to social media to say it was appealing the decision. But according to the township, that process doesn't exist," said Hughes;

"The festival is two weeks away, my anxiety level is up to here," said Moon Newhook, who purchased tickets. "Emails, phone calls, no one is getting back to us."

Newhook purchased three VIP tickets for the festival in 2019. The festival told her to hold onto her tickets as they would roll into 2022. "I love Ever After, but this, I don't think I will be able to support them moving forward after this."

Another woman living in New Jersey said she's desperately searching for answers. Rachel Geiger has been trying to resell her tickets through the festival over the past two years and said it's her only option, with no refunds available.

"I'm out about $900 US from this," said Geiger. "Nobody I know who registered to repurpose their ticket has received any kind of refund or confirmation that it's moving forward."

The festival has not returned multiple attempts for comment from CTV News. Meanwhile, Newhook said she's considering legal action.