I bought tickets to the Colorado Springs Fall Lanternfest/Sack Lunch Productions back in October of 2016 for an event date of 11/5/2016. That event was cancelled due to weather. They eventually told us it would be rescheduled. It was rescheduled, multiple times over the course of a couple of years but never actually held. I emailed them at [email protected] and requested a refund. Twice I received a reply and instructions on how to go about filing a refund request. Nothing was ever refunded and they stopped answering me. They tend to do this in several areas, not just Colorado, where the fire code will not let them hold a lantern festival here so why the refusal to refund the ticket money they accepted? They need to be stopped.
The Lantern Fest is a series of festivals across major US cities, where tickets are routinely sold before permits are secured. When these events fail to receive permits, The Lantern Fest's parent company, Sack Lunch Productions, either postpones the event or pushes it to a different location without issuing refunds (.9news.com/news/local/next/theres-something-shady-about-colorados-popular-lantern-festival/428677355). In at least one case, The Lantern Fest is also under investigation for continuing to sell tickets for an event in Goldsboro after being informed the event would be illegal under the fire code (newsargus.com/news/archives/2017/11/29/lantern_fest_under_investigation/).
As one more complete example, the Washington, DC event was initially to be held in Delta, PA (2.5 - 3 hours away), then postponed without warning to an unknown location and without issuing any refunds. Their statement on the FB event page: "Once we have solidified our contract with a venue we'll add the actual address in." This means that they are continuing to sell $60 tickets without having an established venue. Given fire code regulations in the area, it's doubtful they'll secure a nearby location at all. A popular theme with all these postponements is a lack of refunds given, even if an event will likely never take place.
I would appreciate any assistance available to at least temporarily ban The Lantern Fest (and perhaps the parent company, Sack Lunch Productions) from further selling tickets on Eventbrite until the investigations against its malpractices have concluded. This way, Sack Lunch Productions will be unable to continue collecting money for events that, in some cases, are illegal to hold in the first place and without issuing refunds. This really is akin to a mini Fyre Fest!
Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Facebook Page: facebook.com/thelanternfest/
DC Facebook Event Link (there are others for different cities): facebook.com/events/1742978929342704/permalink/1753194084987855/?notif_t=event_mall_reply¬if_id=1514575937447378
Eventbrite Profile (where money is collected and this should be removed): eventbrite.com/o/the-lantern-fest-11490128799
Richard Surber of SALT LAKE CITY UTAH is a long time crook!
Richard Surber is someone who has had a very long career. I think it's time for him to retire. In my opinion, investing in a company the he runs will result in headaches and a total loss of your money!
Buyer Beware! He is worse than a crooked attorney.... and he is licensed to practice law as well. This is a perfect example of someone who knows the law and can bend it when applicable to suit his personal interests!
He has relied on his 25+ years of scamming activites to lead the way. Please see some of his work below.
The Wallstreet Journal - While on Probation, He Paid Kickback to Undercover Agent
Sack Lunch Productions, Inc. Reviews
I bought tickets to the Colorado Springs Fall Lanternfest/Sack Lunch Productions back in October of 2016 for an event date of 11/5/2016. That event was cancelled due to weather. They eventually told us it would be rescheduled. It was rescheduled, multiple times over the course of a couple of years but never actually held. I emailed them at [email protected] and requested a refund. Twice I received a reply and instructions on how to go about filing a refund request. Nothing was ever refunded and they stopped answering me. They tend to do this in several areas, not just Colorado, where the fire code will not let them hold a lantern festival here so why the refusal to refund the ticket money they accepted? They need to be stopped.
The Lantern Fest is a series of festivals across major US cities, where tickets are routinely sold before permits are secured. When these events fail to receive permits, The Lantern Fest's parent company, Sack Lunch Productions, either postpones the event or pushes it to a different location without issuing refunds (.9news.com/news/local/next/theres-something-shady-about-colorados-popular-lantern-festival/428677355). In at least one case, The Lantern Fest is also under investigation for continuing to sell tickets for an event in Goldsboro after being informed the event would be illegal under the fire code (newsargus.com/news/archives/2017/11/29/lantern_fest_under_investigation/).
As one more complete example, the Washington, DC event was initially to be held in Delta, PA (2.5 - 3 hours away), then postponed without warning to an unknown location and without issuing any refunds. Their statement on the FB event page: "Once we have solidified our contract with a venue we'll add the actual address in." This means that they are continuing to sell $60 tickets without having an established venue. Given fire code regulations in the area, it's doubtful they'll secure a nearby location at all. A popular theme with all these postponements is a lack of refunds given, even if an event will likely never take place.
I would appreciate any assistance available to at least temporarily ban The Lantern Fest (and perhaps the parent company, Sack Lunch Productions) from further selling tickets on Eventbrite until the investigations against its malpractices have concluded. This way, Sack Lunch Productions will be unable to continue collecting money for events that, in some cases, are illegal to hold in the first place and without issuing refunds. This really is akin to a mini Fyre Fest!
Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Facebook Page: facebook.com/thelanternfest/
DC Facebook Event Link (there are others for different cities): facebook.com/events/1742978929342704/permalink/1753194084987855/?notif_t=event_mall_reply¬if_id=1514575937447378
Eventbrite Profile (where money is collected and this should be removed): eventbrite.com/o/the-lantern-fest-11490128799
Richard Surber of SALT LAKE CITY UTAH is a long time crook!
Richard Surber is someone who has had a very long career. I think it's time for him to retire. In my opinion, investing in a company the he runs will result in headaches and a total loss of your money!
Buyer Beware! He is worse than a crooked attorney.... and he is licensed to practice law as well. This is a perfect example of someone who knows the law and can bend it when applicable to suit his personal interests!
He has relied on his 25+ years of scamming activites to lead the way. Please see some of his work below.
The Wallstreet Journal - While on Probation, He Paid Kickback to Undercover Agent
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB84947644827577500
SEC Halts Trading in 26 Small Firms
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jun/09/business/fi-suspend9
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/34-49823-o-1.htm