Ever After Music Festival ticket holders told event not going forward

Thousands attend the Ever After Music Festival held in Kitchener. June 3, 2016

In a post to social media, ticket holders for the Ever After Music Festival are told to "plan accordingly" after it says the township will not let the event go forward.

Organizers say a full statement will be posted shortly as nothing is expected to change "at this time."

The news comes a week before the popular electronic dance music festival is slated to run Aug. 11-14 at Burl's Creek in Oro Medonte.

According to the township, the festival leased the land from Burl's Creek to hold the event.

In a special council meeting on July 21, a staff report said that event organizers anticipated around 15,000 people would attend the festival daily.

Mayor Harry Hughes told CTV News in an interview last week that the organizer was told in January about the township's process that involves six different agencies signing off on the festival's operation plans for health and safety purposes.

"When the report came to council, none of the agencies had signed off, nor had there been any securities posted to make sure people were paid in conjunction with the event," Hughes said.

Those agencies include the OPP, who wrote a letter on July 19, saying, "The OPP first learned of this event in late May 2022 and did have one meeting with the event organizer," according to detachment commander and inspector C.J. Yateman.

Going on to say the operation plans "lacked details regarding traffic planning and safety, missing persons, intoxicated persons and drug disposal."

In addition, Yateman said, "the organizer has not completed a paid duty contract for this event. Without a completed paid duty contract, we cannot make a request for officers at this event. Due to the time frame between now and the event, the OPP will not be able to guarantee adequate staffing."

A letter was also submitted by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario on July 18, stating, "The AGCO has not received the required ten-day notification for this event. The AGCO does not approve event plans and supports any decision from the township of Oro-Medonte."

With an official cancellation statement now looming, there is no indication of what will happen to the purchased tickets or if the festival will offer refunds.

CTV News made multiple attempts to reach the organizer for comment but has not yet heard back.