The organizers of 2021’s ill-fated Elements Festival are facing a class action lawsuit.
Rumors of such a suit pervaded social media in the wake of the electronic music festival, which took place in Lakewood, Pennsylvania from September 3-6. After proprietors marketed a “lakefront paradise” experience, the event fell victim to inclement weather precipitated by Hurricane Ida, which led to complex logistical issues and a reported lack of organizational support.
According to court documents reviewed by EDM.com, three plaintiffs allege the event’s organizers failed to “properly organize, prepare, and provide ticket purchasers and attendees of the Elements Festival 2021 with the experience Defendants extensively promoted and marketed as being a safe, packaged, multi-day camping and music festival.”
In the festival’s aftermath, legions of irate attendees aired grievances in a public Facebook group that has now amassed over 6,000 members. Many requested refunds due to “abhorrent” portable toilets and wait times of up to 16 hours, among other allegations.
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The suit also notes a “lack of proper COVID-19 screening” and “scarcity of access” to food and water, which combined with other alleged instances of malfeasance to create “an uncomfortable and dangerous situation.”
The suit names defendants Elements Production, LLC; BangOn!NYC; Tested Contained Retreats, LLC; and Brett Herman and Timothy Monkiewicz. The plaintiffs, David Raus, Yessica Navarro, and Moya Ferenchak, are seeking damages in excess of $5 million, according to court documents.
Raus, Navarro, and Ferenchak retained Geragos & Geragos, the powerhouse Los Angeles-based law firm that represented the ticket-holders who were awarded a $2 million settlement as part of a class action lawsuit filed after 2017’s explosive Fyre Festival. Many ticket-holders compared Elements to the disastrous Bahamian music fest, which infamously unravelled on the island of Great Exuma in 2017.
A member of Geragos & Geragos’ global communications team declined EDM.com‘s request for comment.
The timing of the suit aligns with a “roadmap” recently published by Elements organizers on the festival’s website, which outlines a five-point plan to address various concerns in preparation for the event’s 2022 edition.
