TomorrowWorld, a popular electronic dance music festival, was held in Chattahoochee Hills, 30 miles southwest of Atlanta. This year’s theme was “Key to Happiness,” but the festival turned into a disaster when inclement weather caused hundreds, perhaps thousands, of TomorrowWorld attendees to be stranded in the cold and muddy conditions without food, water, shelter, or transportation around for miles.
Many TomorrowWorld ticket holders walking sides of roads to get away from site. Thousands reported stranded overnight pic.twitter.com/oW5hAnjIvy
Mixmag reported that three days of heavy rainfall caused TomorrowWorld organizers to cancel shuttle buses Saturday night. TomorrowWorld organizers also cut off access to car parks and drop-off locations, reportedly due to the amount of mud and standing water. Those who were not camping on-site ended up stranded.
Sunday morning, TomorrowWorld organizers announced only those camping at the on-site campgrounds, called DreamVille, would be able to attend the festival. There were festival goers who had bought tickets for the third day only and had driven from as far away as New Jersey and Miami, but they were turned away.
TomorrowWorld posted on its Facebook page they regretted having to make their decision, but due to the weather turning parking lots into mud pits, they felt there was no other choice. The weather became a problem on Friday evening when attendees had to be re-routed to other parking lots, causing severe traffic problems.
“TomorrowWorld will only be accessible to visitors currently camping at DreamVille. Continuous rainfall over the last three days has severely limited capacity of the parking lots, entrance roads and drop-off locations in and around the festival site.
The experience of the TomorrowWorld visitors is always number one priority, so TomorrowWorld was forced to close all daily parking lots and drop off locations. TomorrowWorld regrets that festivalgoers with day tickets, guest list tickets, and anyone not already camping at DreamVille will unfortunately not be able to access the festival…”
According to TomorrowWorld’s website, single-day tickets cost $145. Those who were turned away from the festival on Sunday were angry, citing the long drive and money were spent for nothing. On social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, many people expressed their anger at the TomorrowWorld organizers, who they say should have been prepared for a situation like this with so many people gathering in one place. TomorrowWorld was expected to draw in 180,000 people.
“TomorrowWorld would like to sincerely apologize for the inconveniences due to the weather conditions and to all who couldn’t be part of the 3rd day of TomorrowWorld 2015.”
In an email to WSBTV, TomorrowWorld officials announced tickets for Sunday will be refunded completely, including fees.
“The following Sunday tickets will be refunded entirely and automatically, including service, shipping and payment fees:
Sunday Regular/Comfort Pass
Sunday 1-day upgrade Comfort
Sunday Parking Pass
Sunday Shuttle Pass
Sunday Locker Pass
Sunday TomorrowWorld Restaurant Voucher
1/3 of a Full Madness Regular/Comfort Pass (without DreamVille)
1/3 of 3-day upgrade Full Madness Comfort
1/3 of 3-day Parking Pass
1/3 of 3-day Shuttle Pass
1/3 of 3-day Locker Pass”
Your EDM reported some TomorrowWorld attendees had to walk five miles, while others walked more than ten, to where their vehicles were parked as instructed by the festival organizers. Your EDM notes many festivals this year have had to close early due to the weather, but TomorrowWorld didn’t seem to be prepared. TomorrowWorld’s staff and volunteers seemed to be confused on Saturday about how festival attendees should enter or exit the festival grounds.
The on-site campgrounds were flooded with water, according to Cassandra Foley, a 23-year-old from Baltimore, who paid $500 for her three-day ticket. She told Atlanta Magazine the campgrounds at TomorrowWorld were like a “refugee camp.”
“It’s hands down the worst experience ever. You know it’s bad if police are letting you sleep on top of their cars.”
DreamVille campground at TomorrowWorld flooded (Image via Twitter)
Unsurprisingly, those who braved the unfavorable conditions are posting on social media that they don’t plan on attending TomorrowWorld again. While they can’t be faulted for the rainy weather, the TomorrowWorld organizers should have had a contingency plan for such an event, especially one being held outdoors.
Would you attend TomorrowWorld after hearing the horror stories?
