Featured Image Credit: X/@TheFestiveOwl
Topics: Music, New York, Social Media
Anish Vij
Electric Zoo festival-goers were filmed jumping the gates as ticket holders were turned away due to ‘unforeseen circumstances'.
The New York three-day music festival was plagued by issues from the off.
Day one on Friday (September 1) ended up being cancelled, with organisers saying supply issues prevented them getting the main stage set up on time.
Day two started a few hours late, and by the time Sunday rolled around, already frustrated ticket holders were turned away as the festival had already reached capacity.
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Some fans were apparently not taking this lying down.
A number of videos on social media show the incredible scenes of hundreds of concertgoers storming through the security checkpoint all the way into the venue on Randall's Island.
Watch the chaos unfold below:
The organisers released the disappointing news about Sunday on social media, urging fans to turn around if they were already on their way to the venue.
"It is with deep regret that we need to inform you that due to the challenges caused by Friday cancellation, we have reached our venue’s capacity earlier than anticipated for today, Sunday," they wrote on X (Twitter) on Sunday (September 3).
"For the safety and well-being of everyone on site, we will not be admitting any additional attendees today."
One attendee told ABC that the incident was a 'stampede'.
"We just saw all of the equipment, the tents, stuff like that being knocked down so we didn't know what to do. It was a crazy situation," said John McGuire.
"And after that it was impossible to get to any of the sets. So after that, it was hard getting out last night, so we thought, might as well just get out of there."
Fellow concertgoer Cicero Clamor said: "They will refund us the money that we spent, so I'm fine as long as we're safe, so we're good."
A lengthy statement following Friday's cancellation on Electric Zoo's website read: "First and foremost, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and understanding in the face of yesterday's unexpected challenges.
"Your patience and dedication mean the world to us, and we cannot thank you enough for being part of this incredible community."
The EZOO team said they would open festival door the following day, but 'two hours later than initially planned, at 3pm'.
"We understand that yesterday's delay has been disappointing, but rest assured that our production team has been working tirelessly to ensure that everything is in place for an extraordinary experience. Your safety, enjoyment, and the quality of our festival are our top priorities," they added.
"As we come together once again to celebrate music, art, and the spirit of togetherness, let's make the rest of the weekend even more special and show the world what makes our community so unique - our resilience, positivity, and boundless energy.
"Together, we'll turn this setback into a memorable comeback!"
UNILAD has contacted Electric Zoo for additional comment.