HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — After one day of the inaugural South Star Festival, organizers decided to pull the plug after site conditions were deemed "not safe" to continue.
Citing an inundation of rain from what was Hurricane Helene, combined with the previous day's foot traffic turning the venue grounds at John Hunt Park to a vast mud pit, organizers said an inspection with city representatives led to the decision to cancel.
"Safety is paramount, and we do not take this decision lightly," organizers said in social media posts announcing the cancellation. "We have been looking forward to a full-weekend celebration in John Hunt Park as much as you have. We appreciate your understanding and patience."
Attendees can pick up your items in person from through 5:30 p.m. CT Sunday near the festival main gates. If you have already left Huntsville, you can contact info@entertainmentlockers.com directly for assistance.
Sunday 1-Day Tickets and one half of 2-Day Tickets purchased directly through Front Gate Tickets, the ticketing vendor used by South Star, will automatically be refunded in as little as 30 days to your original form of payment.
Organizers confirmed that if you purchased a parking pass through the festival's website, you will receive a partial refund for 2-day parking.
Chattanooga resident Jayme Joseph was among many who woke up Sunday to the disappointing news. "We were laying in bed prepared to go out," she said. "I told my best friend, this is a joke. I want to cry.
"I'm super-pissed," she added. "I think they should have been prepared for this, should have probably already been postponed."
Others, like Autumn Morgan, who traveled from Arkansas to attend, said she ultimately got what she came for. "Last night was pretty muddy," she conceded, "but I was here to see Gwen [Stefani, Saturday's headline act]. I didn't really care what the conditions were. I was just here to see her."
Fan disappointment for some was compounded by Sunday's cancellation, factoring in that Saturday's delayed start led to two bands being dropped from the program.
Operators of the MidCity District took to Facebook Sunday inviting all vendors who were to operate at South Star to set up shop at their development.
The festival was the first large-scale music festival in the city since the final Big Spring Jam in 2011.
