Festival d’été de Québec Faces Backlash for Early Ticket Sales Start

The Festival d’été de Québec (FEQ) sparked discontent among its loyal festival-goers when it unexpectedly initiated the general admission ticket sales an hour ahead of schedule. The abrupt change did not sit well with many, including Jean-Nicolas Gravel, a devoted FEQ attendee, who criticized the move as a ‘lack of respect towards festival-goers who plan their work schedules around the ticket sale opening’.

Following the early ticket sales start, social media platforms were flooded with grievances from disappointed fans. An FEQ enthusiast expressed their frustration on Facebook, stating, ‘Changing the sales process on the same day is really subpar. If I had known, I would have been prepared earlier. I arrived at 11:15 AM and there were already 140,000 people ahead of me.’

As criticism continued to mount under the latest FEQ posts on Facebook, one user questioned the decision-making regarding pass sales, emphasizing the need for improvements. The gradual opening of ticket sales starting at 11 AM was announced on the Festival’s Facebook page around 10:30 AM; however, this change was not updated on the Festival’s website.

In response to the backlash, the Festival issued a Facebook post confirming the release of all passes two hours after the ticket sale began. The organization acknowledged the disappointment caused by the last-minute alteration, explaining that the decision was made to ensure a cautious approach given the circumstances.

Nicolas Racine, the CEO of BLEUFEU and the Festival d’été de Québec, clarified that a few transactions were permitted prior to 11 AM to verify the functionality of ‘robot control systems.’ Samantha McKinley, the Vice President of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs at the festival, supported this explanation, detailing the need to commence ticket sales early to alleviate the strain on their systems.

McKinley highlighted the challenge posed by the overwhelming demand before the lineup announcement, underscoring the necessity to explore smoother ticket purchase processes. She cited the example of Glastonbury Festival in England, which employs a lottery system for randomly distributing tickets on sale.

Speaking to the disappointment expressed by numerous festival-goers, Nicolas Racine attributed the high demand for FEQ to the ‘exceptional quality of the product’ and its ‘accessible’ nature. Despite the early ticket sales commotion, the lineup announcement was maintained at noon as planned.

Notably, all general admission passes were sold out by 1:05 PM, two hours after being released, showcasing the enduring popularity of the festival. This trend mirrored last year’s swift sell-out of all bracelets. On Tuesday, the 20,000 pre-sale passes for Desjardins members were swiftly claimed within minutes. A total of 125,000 general admission bracelets are available at $150 each, marking a $10 increase from 2023 and a $20 increase from 2022.

Festival enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the next pass sale on April 4 at noon for the front-row passes, as FEQ continues to navigate the ever-growing excitement surrounding its events.