ComplaintsforGasparilla Music Festival

• Initial Complaint

  03/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid around $58 for a ticket to Gasparilla Music festival last April for Saturday and the event was canceled due to poor weather. It was advertised as rain or shine and refunds were said to be coming but no one has heard anything since august. I have made many attempts to communicate with the foundation on all platforms available (even ones weve previously communicated on) and they have been avoiding everyone who inquired about their refund.

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I bought two tickets for the Gasparilla Music Festival in April. They were separate purchases on April 1st and April 28th. They were bought through Tixr. The Order ID's for these tickets were ************************ I was looking forward to attending the event on April 29th. The weather was a bit rainy on the day but before buying the tickets it said that the event was "rain or shine." About an hour after the festival started, they began telling everyone to evacuate the park due to the weather and the event would be delayed. About 2 hours later, the event sent out an update that the event was cancelled. They said they would communicate the refund process next week, this was on April 29th. They proceeded not to communicate anything. All they said was that the Saturday tickets, which I had work for Sunday. I was only interested in going on Saturday so that wasn't good. The only way I knew about the refund was because they commmented on one of their own Instagram posts days later. No email sent out or official post about it. After seeing the comment, I filled out their form. This is already two weeks after the festival. After filling out the form I simply asked, "I was just wondering a timeline of when I can expect a refund." No response. The last update I got was on June 1st they said, "Thank you for submitting your refund request for GMF 2023. We are working to verify ticket purchases via the information provided and will be working with our insurance carrier to determine the process for refunds." This is upsetting that still almost two months later, still no refund. Especially before buying the tickets it said, "In the case of the festival cancellation without a rescheduled date, a full refund will be automatically issued to each patron on the credit card used to purchase." There has been nothing automatic about this. All I ask is that I recieve a refund of $113.64 for the tickets I purchased. Thank you and let me know if there is any other info you need.

• Initial Complaint

  05/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I purchased tickets to their Saturday, April 29th show. It was cancelled because of a tornado warning. They said they would be providing instructions how to obtain a refund in the following week but didn't. I looked yesterday into seeing what was going on and saw ONE response to ONE person on ************ last week of an email address to email asking for a refund. I emailed them on 5.22.2023 and was told the request to obtain a refund had ended on May 19th. How can something end when the company never made a formal accouncement how to get a refund other than responding to one person on Instagram........

• Initial Complaint

  11/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On August 20, 2021 I purchased 2 tickets to the GASPARILLA MUSIC FESTIVAL event in Tampa, Florida to take place the dates of October 1, 2, and 3. At the time of purchase, I was absolutely sure to read ALL fine print and disclosures regarding rules, requirements, and policies. There were no policies in place regarding the requirement of masks, or vaccine to enter the event. On September 3, 2021 Gasparilla Music Festival announced on their Instagram social media page that "Proof of vaccination or negative test" will be required for entry. I spent the next 17 days attempting numerous times to contact Gasparilla Music Festival for a refund due to changing their entry policy after people already bought tickets. I tried to contact GMF by email, phone, and social media without any response. Finally on September 20, 2021 (1 month after tickets were purchased, and 10 days before the event began) I received a response by email stating "We have received your refund request. Please allow us 2-4 weeks to review it. We will be in touch once we have completed our review." This was my last and only correspondence with GMF. I (and many others) have STILL not received a refund. It has been SIX WEEKS since they sent me the email. I have sent an email every week since, and tried calling repeatedly with no answer to either. I have spoken with many others in the same situation. I can't see how this can be viewed as legal as they took money from people for a service, then changed entry policies for those ticket holders. I seek a FULL REFUND for the tickets we did not use and I will never attend nor support Gasparilla Music Festival ever again. I have included photos, emails, and dates of evidence/proof that may help in resolving this matter.

  Business response

  12/10/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 11, 2021/11/23) */ This event has a no refund polity that was clearly stated on the ticketing website in multiple places. The information in this complaint is not factually correct. Consumer Response /* (3000, 13, 2021/11/23) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) As I previously stated in my initial complaint...the "no refund polity that was clearly stated on the ticketing website in multiple places" was agreed upon BEFORE Gasparilla Music Festival changed the entry policy. If they had stated there would need to be proof of vaccination or negative test at the time of purchase then this argument would be valid. However, changing the entry policy/rules AFTER the tickets were purchased makes this argument absolutely INvalid and therefore this complaint IS 100 percent factually correct. What this company has done has led costumers on to believe they would be able to attend this event WITHOUT proof of vaccination or testing as they DID NOT state anywhere at the time of the ticket purchase. If Gasparilla Music Festival had disclosed requirement for proof of vaccination or testing at the time of purchase then the "no refund" policy would understood. By changing the policy well after the tickets were purchased THEN refusing a refund this is no doubt illegal. If Gasparilla Music Festival chooses not to do the right thing and provide a 100 percent refund we intend to move forward with a lawsuit. People agreed to the "no refund" policy when there was no proof of vaccination or testing in place. NOT after it was changed.

• Initial Complaint

  11/02/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid $120 for "early bird" tickets to see the festival, I believe back in May 2021, prior to any lineups being announced. We have done this for many years in a row. At the time of purchase there were no "health screenings" or perquisites in place in order to attend. With only a couple weeks prior to the event, GMF posted on their Instagram account about needing a vaccine passport ** proof of negative test. I only happened to see it because a friend told me about it. There was no formal email or direct communication with me about it. At that time I direct messaged them on Instagram asking for a refund or if there was a resolution that we could make. After a few attempts with no reply, I emailed them at ****@gasparillamusic.com. Again, it took a few emails before I was given "2-4 weeks and we will come up with a resolution." that's now been about 6 weeks ago. Still no responses to nearly a dozen emails. I've also called their info line, no one has ever answered or returned my voicemails over the past 8 weeks. The event was held a month ago now and they've continued to ignore my requests and my husbands.. along with many others who did not consent to the last minute "health" screening requirements. Had I have known I would not have purchased tickets this year. I was also unable to sell my tickets. I am against the vaccine for my religious beliefs and I do not agree with having to prove my health to attend an open air, outdoor event. The lack of professionalism and total disregard for their customers is appalling. I've tried every way I know how to resolve this issue between GMF and myself without acknowledgement from GMF.

  Business response

  12/16/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2021/11/23) */ This event has a no refund polity that was clearly stated on the ticketing website in multiple places. The information in this complaint is not factually correct. Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2021/12/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The information in my complaint is factually correct. Yes, there was a "rain or shine" no refund policy. However, at the time of purchase there was no "health screening" or "covid policy" in place. GMF later implemented a covid policy, September 3, 2021 (via instagram) - enforcing a vax passport or negative test. That was not a part of my buying agreement in May 2021 when I purchased the tickets. That policy change in order to enter is my issue with GMF. Had GMF had the vax passport or negative test as a requirement initially, I would have never purchased them. Thus, I am requesting a refund. I'm attaching the email confirmation that shows the "rain or shine" note, but there is no mention of Covid/Health screenings. I'm also attaching the notice from IG stating they are "updating" their entry policy on 9/3/21.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩