The Commerce Commission has launched an investigation into the cancelled Juicy Fest NZ music festival following hundreds of complaints and has indicated it may expand the investigation to include the organisation of the Timeless Summer Tour if deemed necessary.
Juicy Fest NZ and Timeless Summer Tour
Juicy Fest, a one-day, four-date festival featuring artists such as Ludacris, Akon, and Jay Sean, was set to take place in Tauranga, Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch in January. However, it was cancelled in December due to what organisers described as targeted efforts to obstruct the event and unresolved licensing issues.
Meanwhile, the Timeless Summer Tour, due to take place in Christchurch, Napier, New Plymouth, Tauranga, and Auckland, and featuring 80s stars such as Boy George, Bonnie Tyler, and Starship, has also been postponed.
Both festivals were organised by the promoter Timeless Live.
Hundreds of frustrated concertgoers are demanding refunds and explanations following the cancellation of the events. Since December, the Commerce Commission has received 258 complaints related to Juicy Fest and 26 concerning the Timeless Summer Tour.
Sentiments from Frustrated Fans
Jan Tollemache, who had tickets for the Timeless Summer Tour, expressed her “disappointment” over its cancellation. Just like hundreds of others, she has been persistently seeking a refund from Timeless Live and ticketing agency Ticket Fairy.
In a conversation with RNZ, Tollemache said she received an email from Ticket Fairy stating that it does not hold the funds, as all payments were transferred to the promoter. The agency has asked customers to remain patient as it manages a high volume of refund requests, potentially numbering in the thousands.
“If we’re not getting our money back, for goodness sake, at least just tell us that so we can move on, because this is just ridiculous,” Tollemache said.
Consumer NZ has stated that refunds should be processed within two to three weeks, describing any delays beyond that as “unreasonable.” Ticket holders for Juicy Fest and the Timeless Summer Festival have now been waiting nearly 10 weeks for their refunds, far exceeding this recommended timeframe.