(Alton, Va.) — The show will NOT go on.
Organizers with the Blue Ridge Rock Festival this weekend they have cancelled plans for the 2024 event. The news comes as the festival works with insurers to compensate last year’s attendees.
“Blue Ridge Rock Festival and Virginia International Raceway are saddened to announce that the 2024 Festival will not take place as originally planned. Our number one focus and priority has been, and remains, settling the insurance claim and ensuring resolution for everyone affected by 2023’s weather cancellation,” said organizers in a statement posted to their social media pages.
The final two days of the planned four-day event last year at Virginia International Raceway were cancelled after bad weather. But dozens of concertgoers took to social media complaining about unsanitary conditions at the festival.
There were bad storms that disrupted the first night of music, but Friday went off without a hitch. Rain washed out Saturday. Mid-day Saturday, organizers announced they were closing Sunday as well because of the forecast.
The state Health Department confirmed numerous minor violations at the festival. They set up a portal for people to report gastro-intestinal illnesses. A department spokesperson says they did not force the cancellation of the final two days of the event.
Last year, VIR announced a multi-year agreement to host the event. “We would like to express our gratitude to Virginia International Raceway for their partnership and unwavering support through this unexpected, and unequivocally challenging time,” organizers said in a statement. “What has occurred behind the scenes over the last several months with Blue Ridge has often been incredibly unique and unprecedented for a Music Festival, but VIR has graciously understood, maintained faith, and worked through each situation with us.”
Organizers say tickets purchased for this year will be refunded. They also plan to revive the event in 2025.
“2024 tickets were placed on-sale at the very start of the 2023 festival (not any time recently), just as we did in 2022. This 2024 on-sale took place well prior to the weather-induced partial cancellation of the 2023 festival. The sales that did take place for 2024 have been held in escrow. We are working with the merchant processing company to streamline and process refunds,” said organizers.
