The Drop ticket holders wait four years for refund after cancelled 2020 festival in Torquay

Frustrated ticket holders have been waiting almost four years to get their money back after popular coastal music festival The Drop canned its event in 2020.

Crowds at The Drop music festival in 2019. Picture: Mark Wilson

Frustrated ticket holders have been waiting almost four years to get their money back after a popular coastal music festival was canned in 2020.

The Drop Festival was scheduled to be held on April 11, 2020 at the Torquay Commons but was cancelled due to government health restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Torquay resident Tayla Buttigieg, 25, purchased two tickets to the festival, worth $110 each.

She had attended the festival in 2019 and was planning to celebrate her birthday with friends at the 2020 event.

At least six of her friends also bought multiple tickets to the Torquay festival.

“I understand things happen, but we paid for a festival and we didn’t get it,” she said.

Client Liason perform at The Drop in 2019. Picture: Mark Wilson

Geelong resident Amelia Essex also bought two tickets for the Torquay festival and remains about $200 out of pocket.

“I feel like we have been led on,” she said.

In June 2020, ticket holders were told they could roll their tickets over to a rescheduled festival in 2021, which ultimately did not go ahead, or apply for a refund once the line-up was announced.

Ticket holders were told refunds would be processed within 14 days.

Both Ms Buttigieg and Ms Essex applied for refunds.

“I would have been happy with a partial refund and a promise of the rest of the money in the future,” Ms Essex said.

More refunds were promised in August 2022 when The Drop announced another Torquay event had been locked in, which also did not go ahead.

“I’m frustrated that we’ve had emails promising refunds on multiple occasions and then no follow through whatsoever,” Ms Essex said.

Ms Buttigieg said she had continually emailed The Drop for refund updates since 2020 but never received a reply.

“We’re just waiting and at this point,” she said.

“I want them to be honest with us … stop stringing us along.”

Ms Buttigieg and Ms Essex said they would consider group legal action in a bid to get their money back.

The Drop’s Instagram account and Facebook page has not been active since August 2022.

The festival’s website also no longer works.

Festival director Ken O’Brien did not respond to questions from this masthead.

In December last year, Mr O’Brien told the ABC he was working towards refunding all ticket holders by the end of 2024.

Ms Buttigieg said she would be content with a partial refund.

“I would take anything at this point,” she said.

“I know it’s been a while, but that money would be really handy right now.”

Originally published as The Drop ticket holders wait four years for refund after cancelled 2020 festival in Torquay