Flavortown Fest organizers cancel two-day Columbus food and music festival
Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Fest, a twoday food and music festival that the celebrity chef had planned to debut in Columbus this June, has been canceled.
Organizers issued a statement this week and promised full refunds to anyone who has purchased tickets for the festival that was scheduled to take place June 1 and 2 at The Lawn at CAS, near the Ohio State University campus. The festival was being planned by IMG, a global events and entertainment company.
“Guy Fieri, IMG, CAS and our partners worked tirelessly to create an incredible event that would bring Flavortown to life,” they said. “However, due to unforeseen circumstances, Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Fest, initially planned for June 1-2 in Columbus, OH, has been cancelled. Thank you to all our Flavortown Fest fans for understanding and your support along this journey.”
The statement directed questions about refunds or other details to info@flavortownfest.com.
Flavortown Fest was announced in November as a fusion of “food and funk.” Fieri, who was born in Columbus, promised “two full days of awesome music, the best chefs, real deal food from around the nation and a whole lotta fun that you’re gonna have to see to believe!”
The original announcement from IMG and other organizers said: “Guy Fieri has called his friends, including the nation’s top chefs and jaw-dropping music artists to make the inaugural event one you can’t miss. From the most exciting restaurants, vendors and culinary demos to hands-in-the-air superstar performances Flavortown Fest will offer the ultimate experience for foodies ready to eat, drink and party with the mayor of Flavortown.”
“Flavortown Fest is bound to surprise you at every turn just when you think you’ve seen it all.”
Organizers offered no comment on whether ticket sales were meeting their expectations.
The festival began selling $155 twoday general admission passes, $215 general admission-plus passes and $465 VIP packages in November before any musical acts were announced. In January, Kane Brown, Greta Van Fleet and Bret Michaels were announced as the headliners.
The festival’s website no longer offers a link to buy tickets and has removed information about its dates and location. It offers no news of the cancellation, though. rvitale@dispatch.com Instagram: @dispatchdining