BRIDGEPORT – The annual Soundside Music Festival at Seaside Park scheduled for Sept. 27-28 has been cancelled by organizers “due to circumstances beyond our control.”
C3 Presents and Founders Entertainment in collaboration with Live Nation Connecticut announced the news on Friday, July 25 on the event’s website.
While no specific reason for the cancellation was given, reports suggest that low ticket sales may have been a contributing factor. The festival had announced a lineup that included such acts as The Killers, Hozier, Weezer, and Vampire Weekend. Some fans have also noted concerns about the high price of tickets.
Tickets will be refunded to the original method of payment in as little as 30 days depending on your bank’s processing time, according to the event’s purchase policy listed on its website. If the tickets were transferred, the refund will go to the fan who originally purchased the tickets from Ticketmaster.
In a June Facebook post on the Soundside Music Festival page, a group member shared information from the Soundside festival organizers regarding ticket transfers and resales. The post read: “If any member intends to sell their tickets within the group, please message me (GROUP ADMIN) directly beforehand. I will verify the tickets to prevent any issues related to fake or invalid tickets being circulated within our community.
It’s crucial to maintain trust and transparency within our group, so any posts advertising tickets for sale without prior verification will be promptly deleted. Furthermore, individuals found violating this policy may face a temporary or permanent ban from the (Facebook) group.”
Prior to the cancellation, organizers had to deal with a possible issue regarding a nearby construction site at the former Bridgeport Harbor PSEG Station. In May Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim told the developer of the former station at 1 Atlantic St. that the Sept. 29 demolition of the iconic candy stripe smokestack would have to be rescheduled.
The reason for rescheduling was that the implosion of the smokestack to make way for a multi-million dollar mixed-use development was scheduled for the same weekend as the annual Soundside Music Festival at Seaside Park.
The Soundside Music Festival was launched in 2022, originally branded as Sound on Sound. Spearheaded by Howard Saffan, in collaboration with Live Nation Connecticut and Founders Entertainment, the inaugural event featured prominent such acts as Stevie Nicks, the Lumineers, and Dave Matthews alongside Tim Reynolds. The festival aimed to create a vibrant musical atmosphere in Bridgeport, drawing attendees from across the region.
In 2023, the festival rebranded to Soundside Music Festival.
