New York Attorney General Letitia James announced her office is suing two New Paltz-based electronic music promoters after they canceled their Allegany County music festival in 2025 and failed to refund ticket buyers and vendors.
James said Evolutions Festival organizers Michael and Justin Brown collected more than $240,000 in advance ticket sales and more than $21,000 in vendor fees before canceling the festival just 10 days before it was scheduled to begin in the Western New York town of Caneadea.
Evolutions Festival canceled
James said her office launched an investigation into Evolutions Festival LLC and 845 Vibrations LLC, both based in New Paltz, after receiving multiple consumer complaints that organizers failed to issue refunds after the festival was canceled in August
2025.
Evolutions Festival was first held in 2024 and was promoted as a three-day weekend of "music, arts and camping." Organizers advertised on their platforms that the 2025 event would be "even better," featuring music headliners including Allison Wonderland, Of the Trees and Flowdan, as well as more comfortable "glamping" amenities.
Tickets went on sale March 20, 2025, with prices ranging from $200 to $700 for tickets that included camping, parking, transportation and other features.
James said Michael and Justin Brown collected approximately $243,158.04 in ticket sales after 521 people purchased 1,157 tickets.
The organizers also charged approximately 28 vendors advance fees ranging from $650 to $1,150 to participate in a planned "vendor village," bringing the total vendor fees to approximately $21,662.75, James said.
On Aug. 26, 2025, just 10 days before the festival was scheduled to begin, organizers announced on Evolutions Festival social media that the event was being "postponed." They claimed the venue had not secured the necessary permits for the festival, according to James.
Ticket buyers, vendors did not receive refunds
According to James, only 11 of the 521 ticket purchasers received refunds, and those refunds came after the customers contacted their credit card companies and disputed the charges.
Vendors also reported that they did not receive refunds after paying in advance to participate in the festival.
James said one Rochester-area small-business owner paid more than $1,200 to secure a booth for the weekend and was notified that the event had been canceled just six days before it was scheduled to begin.
The organizers allegedly told the woman they were working to reschedule the festival and that she could email a request for a refund. James said the request was never fulfilled.
Attorney general alleges violations
James alleged that Michael and Justin Brown violated New York's Arts and Cultural Affairs Law by "failing to keep all advance ticket-sale funds in escrow or provide required financial protections for ticket purchasers."
According to James, the law requires ticket sellers to provide refunds to ticket purchasers in New York when a performance is canceled or rescheduled.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New York AG sues festival organizers over canceled music event, refunds
