The organizers of the ill-fated Elements Festival 2021 are threatened with class action.
Rumors of such a suit spread across social media after the Electronic Music Festival, held in Lakewood, Pennsylvania, September 3-6. After the owners marketed a “lakefront paradise,” the event fell victim to the harsh weather caused by Hurricane Ida, creating complex logistical issues and a reported lack of organizational support.
According to court documents reviewed by worldmusic.blog, three plaintiffs allege that the event organizers failed to "properly organize, prepare, and provide the experience for ticket buyers and visitors to the Elements Festival 2021, which the defendants extensively promoted and packaged as safe , multi-day camping and music festival. "
In the aftermath of the festival, legions of angry participants reported their complaints in a public Facebook group that now has over 6,000 members. Many asked for reimbursements because of "hideous" portable toilets and waiting times of up to 16 hours, among other things.
The lawsuit also notes a "lack of adequate COVID-19 screenings" and "scarce access" to food and water which, when combined with other alleged wrongdoings, resulted in "an uncomfortable and dangerous situation".
The lawsuit names the defendants Elements Production, LLC; BangOn! NYC; Tested Included Retreats, LLC; and Brett Herman and Timothy Monkiewicz. Plaintiffs, David Raus, Yessica Navarro and Moya Ferenchak, are demanding more than $ 5 million in damages, according to court records.
Raus, Navarro and Ferenchak hired Geragos & Geragos, the premier Los Angeles-based law firm to represent ticket holders who were awarded a $ 2 million settlement suit in a class action lawsuit following the 2017 explosive Fyre Festival. Many ticket holders compared Elements to the disastrous Bahamas Music Festival, which infamously took place on the island of Great Exuma in 2017.
A member of the Geragos & Geragos global communications team declined worldmusic.blog's request for comment.
The timing of the lawsuit coincides with a "roadmap" recently published by Elements organizers on the festival's website outlining a five-point plan to address various concerns in preparation for the 2022 event.
