Kelowna's Rock the Lake still not cancelled, frustrating ticket holders

Kelowna’s Rock the Lake has yet to be cancelled by organizers, and ticket holders are getting fed up.

While Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has made it clear that there will be no large gatherings in B.C. this summer, the concert is still officially set to take place August 7 to 9, 2020.

Ticket holders haven't heard anything from organizers about cancellation or refund.

"Am I going to lose my $500 - 600? I won't be standing for that," said Jennifer Noakes McGowan. "If something doesn’t come to fruition as far as getting a refund goes, I’ll be creating more of a stink for sure."

McGowan, a Vancouver Island resident, called Prospera Place to voice her concerns about Rock the Lake. The venue directed her to call the box office.

"I phone once a week," she said. "They always say the same thing. They haven’t told us anything, so we don’t know what’s going on."

McGowan isn't the only one looking for answers.

"I’ve seen nothing on cancellation," said Nelson resident Rob Girard. "They’ve posted nothing, it’s just wrong."

When his partner sent an email to Select Your Tickets, Girard received an identical response to many other ticket holders who reached out with their concerns.

The message states, "This event is not currently cancelled.... However we have to comply and follow all rules laid out for us via the promoters. It is their show and the monies belong to the artist, since tickets purchased are final sale, this is a unique circumstance."

Select Your Tickets said that by the direction of the promoter, refunds are not to be given at this time.

iNFOnews.ca reached out to a representative for comment on the situation.

They said that if the event is cancelled, all tickets will be refunded. As long as the event is officially set to take place, they will not process refunds.

Select Your Tickets added that they did not know when Rock the Lake promoters would make the decision whether to cancel the concert. They directed further inquiries to GSL Group, which is responsible for organizing the event.

A GSL Group representative told iNFOnews.ca that, "The Rock the Lake press release will be sent out tomorrow," in an email today, May 27.

GSL Group could not be reached for further comment before publication.

In the meantime, ticket holders are getting frustrated.

"If they don’t do something soon, I would totally boycott that event, and I would make it very well known to everybody I know," said McGowan. "Doesn't matter, they could have the best eighties bands of all time, and I would never buy a ticket from them again."

Given the current economic situation, McGowan fears that delaying refund is putting people in a tough spot.

"Right now with COVID, people being laid off work, six hundred dollars is a lot of money to people," she said.

Ticket costs run between $65 for a Friday Single Day Pass to $443 for a VIP Weekend Pass.

Even longtime fans of Rock the Lake have some misgivings.

Florence Guy has come from out of town to attend the concert for several years, and loved the experience. However, the fact the event has not been cancelled is a concern.

"I think it should be cancelled and refunds made," she said. "I've attended this event in the past and I don't see any way that people could safely attend it this year."

Rock the Lake is one of the largest events in the Okanagan that has yet to be called off this summer. Physical distancing regulations have already nixed Rib Fests, Canada Day celebrations, the Armstrong IPE fair, marathons, sports events and music festivals across the valley.

For now, the only thing that Rock the Lake ticket holders can do is wait for an official announcement from promoters.

— This story was updated at 3:25 p.m. May 27, 2020 with new quote from a GSL Group representative, specifying the release will be sent out May 28.