Blue Ridge Rock Officially Cancels 2024 Event 

Blue Ridge Rock’s 2023 edition ended in chaos, and though organizers attempted to hold an event this year, the 2024 festival is now officially called-off.

The festival made headlines earlier this year after selling tickets to the 2024 edition, despite the fact that festivalgoers are still awaiting refunds for the 2023 event. Executive producer Cara Fischer issued a statement saying “tickets for 2024 are not currently on sale and have not been for several months while we work to provide a resolution to 2023 fans,” however, the festival’s attorney Jonathan Wilkofsky told Roanoke, Virginia’s WBDJ that presale tickets for the 2024 event were indeed sold, noting “that money has not been lost; it’s being held, which Blue Ridge doesn’t have it.”

Now, organizers posted a statement to their website announcing the cancellation of this year’s event.

“Blue Ridge Rock Festival and Virginia International Raceway are saddened to announce that the 2024 Festival will not take place as originally planned,” the statement read. “Our number one focus and priority has been, and remains, settling the insurance claim and ensuring resolution for everyone affected by 2023’s weather cancellation.”

Organizers went on to note that the festival “is not feasible at this time since we are still awaiting a resolution for 2023,” and as a result, items for the 2024 festival will be refunded, as the sales for the 2024 event were “held in escrow.”

“Contrary to online reports, 2024 tickets were placed on sale at the very start of the 2023 festival (not any time recently), just as we did in 2022,” organizers continued. “This 2024 on sale took place well prior to the weather-induced partial cancellation of the 2023 festival.”

However, this doesn’t appear to be the end for the festival.

“While Blue Ridge Rock Festival will not take place in 2024, we look forward to revealing what the future holds in 2025,” organizers said. “We are very grateful for an incredible passionate fan base that organically took a tiny one day festival, in rural Virginia, to unbelievable heights through fan engagement and innovation in its lineup, experiences, and overall curation.”

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At this time, festivalgoers are still awaiting refunds from last year’s festival. The 2023 event was originally set to take place from Thursday, September 7 through Sunday, September 10, 202, however, Thursday’s show was impacted by severe weather, leading fans to seek shelter. While Friday’s show went on as planned, Saturday and Sunday’s shows were called-off.

Although the festival only went on for two days, fans complained that the event was a disaster, citing the lack of security, overpriced water amid the heat with only two water stations on site, piles of garbage around the campsite, and portapotties blocked-off.

Organizers released a statement after the event, standing by the decision to cancel due to weather, however, other reasons for the cancellation quickly emerged, including overcapacity and threats of staff striking due to unworkable conditions. The Virginia Department of Health even launched an investigation into the festival after multiple people reported gastrointestinal issues. Those affected told a local news outlet that “unsanitary conditions” were at fault.

After months of silence — and no word on refunds for ticketholders — organizers finally released a statement earlier this year, explaining that the delay was due to the festival’s abandonment insurance policy. Organizers said they expected a response to the claim in the first quarter of 2024 or shortly after.

Wilkofsky reiterated the fact that Blue Ridge Rock’s insurance carrier is currently investigating the festival. He said investigators have reviewed about 24 hours of testimony and are expected to make a decision regarding refunds within the month, noting, “there were just a lot of moving parts to the events and the cancelation of the weather and the ticketing, and there’s just a million moving parts to it.”

“There’s been a lot of rumors out there that somebody’s run away with the money and we’re stiffing the fans,” he said, “and that’s absolutely untrue. There’s been no payment. There’s been no denial of the claim, we’re in the process of the investigation.”