Only 11 of the 521 people who bought tickets to last year’s Evolutions Festival got their money back. Each of them did it by disputing the charge with a credit card company, according to a lawsuit New York Attorney General Letitia James filed Tuesday.
The lawsuit names Evolutions Festival LLC, 845 Vibrations LLC and organizers Michael and Justin Brown. It alleges the promoters kept more than $243,000 in advance ticket sales and nearly $22,000 in vendor fees after calling off the three-day electronic dance music festival 10 days before it was set to open.
A ‘postponement’ with no refunds
Evolutions was scheduled for Sept. 5-7, 2025, at the Sugar Mountain Performing Arts Center in Caneadea, a small town in Allegany County. The festival debuted in 2024. Organizers promoted the second edition as a bigger event, with glamping, immersive experiences and a lineup that included Alison Wonderland and Of The Trees.
Tickets went on sale March 20, 2025, at prices from about $200 to more than $700. Camping, parking and transportation were sold as add-ons. According to the attorney general’s office, 521 buyers purchased 1,157 tickets worth $243,158. Another 28 small businesses paid a combined $21,662 for booths in a planned vendor village.
On Aug. 26, 2025, Evolutions announced on social media that the festival was “postponed.” It blamed the venue for failing to secure the necessary permits. The festival’s website said tickets were nonrefundable even if the event was canceled, postponed or rescheduled, EDM.com reported.
The venue tells a different story
Sugar Mountain has disputed the permitting explanation from the start. The venue’s owner said Sugar Mountain held a standing special-use permit, TicketNews reported. The owner accused Evolutions of failing to provide contracts, funding, insurance documentation and other required materials.
Evolutions later sued Sugar Mountain over the cancellation. The venue denies the allegations, and that case is still ongoing, according to Billboard.
That separate lawsuit sits at the center of the state’s case. The promoters allegedly told investigators they would issue refunds only if they won their litigation against the venue. They also said the advance ticket money had already gone to performers whose contracts required payment before the event.
What New York law requires
James argues neither explanation holds up. Under New York’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, promoters must either hold advance ticket money in escrow or set up another form of financial protection for buyers. The same law gives ticket holders a right to a refund when a show is canceled or rescheduled. Calling an event postponed doesn’t remove that right.
Vendors say they got similar treatment. One Rochester-area business owner paid more than $1,200 for a booth and learned about the cancellation six days before the festival, according to the attorney general’s office. Organizers told her refund requests sent by email would be handled quickly. The state says that refund never came.
“Concertgoers and vendors who spend their hard-earned money in New York should know that my office has their back,” James said in a statement. “Arts and culture are a cornerstone of what draws people to our great state. My office will never allow unsavory promoters to ruin that experience and take advantage of consumers or small business owners.”
What the state is asking for
The lawsuit seeks full restitution for every ticket buyer and vendor. It also asks for civil penalties of $5,000 for each of 1,185 alleged violations of New York’s General Business Law, which could total more than $5.9 million. James also wants the promoters barred from staging arts, cultural or music events in New York unless they first post a $500,000 performance bond.
The claims are allegations and have not been proven in court. The organizers named in the lawsuit couldn’t be reached for comment.
Ticket buyers and vendors who have not been refunded can file a consumer complaint with the New York Attorney General’s Office.
