NEW YORK (PIX11) — Organizers of the Electric Zoo Festival oversold tickets by 7,000 people, which led to the festival prohibiting attendees from entering on Sunday, according to the NYPD.
The decision to prohibit entry led to chaos and people storming the gates to get into the festival, which is held on Randalls Island.
The festival faced a myriad of problems throughout its three-day spread. It was canceled hours before opening on Friday due to supply chain issues that delayed the completion of the main stage. Then on its second day, hundreds of people waited in line for hours and couldn’t get in.
In a statement on social media, the festival organizers shared:
It is with deep regret that we need to inform you that due to the challenges caused by Friday cancelation, we have reached our venue’s capacity earlier than anticipated for today, Sunday. For the safety and well-being of everyone on site, we will not be admitting any additional attendees today.
If you are on your way or were planning to come later, we kindly ask that you refrain from coming to the festival site.
Your safety and festival experience remain our top priorities. We deeply apologize for this inconvenience and hope you understand that this decision was made with everyone’s best interest in mind. Refund details are to follow.
Thank you for your continued love, patience, and understanding. We promise to make it up to you.
Electric Zoo Festival
Close to 88,000 people attended the festival, police said. Festival organizers also said they would issue a full refund to everyone who was denied entry.
Charline Charles is a digital journalist from Brooklyn who has covered local news along with culture and arts in the New York City area since 2019. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.
