More than a year after Evolutions Festival abruptly called off its 2025 edition, New York’s Attorney General is taking its organizers to court.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against Evolutions Festival, 845 Vibrations LLC and organizers Michael and Justin Brown, alleging they failed to refund hundreds of ticket holders and vendors after the three-day electronic music festival never took place.
The festival was scheduled for September 5-7, 2025, at Sugar Mountain Performing Arts Center in Caneadea, New York, with Alison Wonderland, Ganja White Night, Of The Trees and Flowdan among the artists on the lineup.
As JamBase reported at the time, Evolutions announced the postponement on August 26, just 10 days before the festival was scheduled to begin. Organizers blamed permitting issues at the venue.
According to the New York Attorney General’s office, organizers had already collected $243,158.04 from 521 ticket buyers for 1,157 tickets and add-ons. Another 28 small businesses paid a combined $21,662.75 in advance vendor fees.
Of those 521 ticket purchasers, the lawsuit alleges only 11 recovered their money—and those customers did so by disputing the charges with their credit card companies rather than receiving refunds from Evolutions.
What Happened After Evolutions Was Postponed?
Evolutions announced the postponement on August 26, just 10 days before the festival was scheduled to begin. Organizers said permitting issues at Sugar Mountain prevented the event from moving forward.
Contemporary reporting from JamBase documented the postponement at the time, while the festival’s eventual refund practices are now central to the Attorney General’s case.
According to the New York Attorney General’s official announcement, the promoters allegedly failed to issue refunds after the event was called off and did not properly safeguard advance ticket proceeds.
The state’s court documents and enforcement filings allege violations of New York’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Law and General Business Law.
James is seeking full restitution for affected ticket holders and vendors, civil penalties, and an order requiring the organizers to post a $500,000 performance bond before holding future cultural events in New York.
For hundreds of Evolutions attendees who have been waiting since August 2025, the lawsuit could finally provide some answers—and potentially, their money back.
