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The Bamboozle Festival was scheduled to be held from May 7, 2023, to May 9, 2023, and was set to feature artists such as Limp Bizkit, Bad Omens, DE'WAYNE, Flyleaf, Ice Spice, Mod Sun, Turnover, and more.
The 2023 edition of the event was canceled by the organizers after they failed to meet Atlantic City's permit requirements. Several netizens also made several allegations against the organizers related to fraud.
The organizers announced the cancelation of this year's festival, which was supposed to be its 20-year anniversary celebration via a post on their official Instagram page. It is important to note that the comments on the post have been disabled.
The event was also set to mark the festival's return after a long hiatus since 2012.
The cancelation comes amidst allegations of cyberbullying and scams by fans of the festival, who created the Instagram page 'scamboozlefest' to expose the alleged fraud. The movement gained traction since the festival's return was announced.
Bamboozle organizers failed to obtain insurance certificates and pay fees for use of the Bader field
The Bamboozle festival's scheduled return was plagued by controversy from the very start. Fans have accused the organizers of using misleading advertisements to sell expensive early-bird tickets and failing to secure the acts promised to perform at the festival.
As per Billboard, the festival organizers also failed to meet the necessary legal requirements to host the festival. They did not manage to obtain insurance certificates and pay the fees for the use of the Bader field at the venue within the deadline, which was set for April 27, 2023.
In a general press statement, city officials elaborated on their decision to refuse the festival permits and said:
"We asked for this information months in advance to protect the city and the taxpayers of Atlantic City. The event was fast approaching, and these issues were still unresolved"
The cancelation of the festival has led to fans expressing their outrage and shock on social media. Some compared the festival to other music fest scams over the years, while others demanded that the festival refund not just the ticket fees but flight and hotel fees as well.
The festival organizers also seemed to have misled vendors that were supposed to set up shop on the festival grounds. Nick Richetti, the owner of the Canna City Hemp in Statesville, North Carolina, speaking to the Atlantic Press, stated that he paid $10,000 to set up a small vendor stall and was promised that 30,000 fans would be present per day at the festival. He mentioned that the large sum he paid was yet to be refunded.
He mentioned:
"I have emailed and made phone calls, and not heard anything back from them,I own one small CBD store in North Carolina, and $10,000 will absolutely break me."
The organizers could possibly face criminal charges over the misleading information provided in their advertisements. Lisa R. Considine, an attorney with DiSabato & Considine in Rutherford, clarified the possible legal repercussions for the festival organizers in a statement to NJ.com and said:
"It could be argued that advertising early tickets as the cheapest was deceptive under the Consumer Fraud Act where the tickets were later sold at a discounted price."
She continued:
"Even putting aside the Consumer Fraud Act, you also would be able to allege a common law fraud claim. The seller made a material representation regarding the cost, with the intention that people rely upon it so that they purchase tickets, and they did so to their detriment — the excess price"
NJ.com also confirmed that officials at the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs have received over 21 complaints regarding the festival, some related to refunds, and some alleging fraud.
Tracing Bamboozle Festival's history
The festival began as the Great Bamboozle in 2003 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The debut edition of the festival welcomed headliners such as the Dark Star Orchestra and The Roots.
The festival remained at the Stone Pony for a second year even as it expanded from four to six stages, continuing under the name Great Bamboozle. The second edition of the festival included performers such as Kaki King, Patti Smith, and Nicole Atkins.
The Great Bamboozle was then renamed The Bamboozle Festival in 2005, when it moved its main stage to the Asbury Park Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey. That year, the festival was headlined by My Chemical Romance, the Starting Line, and Thrice.
