Futuristic Festival Pushes on Despite Inclement Weather

Photo Courtesy of Mixtribe, Wikipedia

“TommorrowWorld” has quickly become one of the largest and most lucrative music festivals in the country, owing its success to increased interest in electronic dance music (EDM) and its appeal to a market of free-spirited 20-somethings. Its inaugural year in 2013 brought in around 140,000 people and economically impacted the Atlanta area to the tune of around $70 million dollars, according to “TomorrowWorld” organizers.

The festival is a spinoff of Belgium’s “Tomorrowland,” which experiences even larger profits annually. The American version takes place in obscure Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, due to its resemblance to the location in Belgium.

While this year’s event was projected to be even larger than in years past, inclement weather dampened the mood and draw of the event. According to “Your EDM,” on Sunday, single-day ticket holders were denied entry because of weather conditions, leaving only the people who had already been inside to remain. The campground colloquially known as “Dreamville” was turned into a mud pit, which left unprepared festival-goers cold and disappointed. Organizers attempted to give people alternative options for parking, but relentless rainfall closed many roads which left people the option of hiking nine miles back or sticking it out.

Tickets, which can range upward of $500, have sparked ire and forced the event to put a refund plan in place that will result in a serious loss, especially in comparison to the $10 million dollars recouped at last year’s event, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

The event boasts nine stages working concurrently, and performers including Benny Benassi, DVBBS, Showtek, Ummet Ozcan, Steve Angello, Kaskade, Tiesto, Afro Jack, BassNectar, David Guetta and many other of the biggest names in the EDM world will be missed by a significant portion of “TomorrowWorld” fans because of the weather.

Although the event is streamed live, this won’t provide much comfort to those who shelled out an exorbitant amount of money to experience the convivial, whimsical atmosphere of the festival. While these people wait for refunds, the minds behind “TomorrowWorld” will have to consider options for next year’s event, whether it be a location change or more preparedness for severe weather conditions. Many will still have to foot the bill for hotel, food and taxi services that became required due to the weather, and those expenses will likely not be recuperated. The noted summer send-off left many with a bad taste in their mouth; the effect of this will be seen in next year’s festival. 

brocha@ramapo.edu