SXSW Refuses To Give Refunds After Canceling Over Coronavirus And People Are Pissed

Robert MacPherson/AFP via Getty Images


If this coronavirus doesn’t kill us all, it seems many are prepared to off each other for the injustices we bestow on one another in the viruses wake.

Austin music and arts festival SXSW not only announced that it would be cancelling the 2020 event, but it would not be issuing refunds to those who bought passes. Festival organizers have been informed that 2020 passes can be deferred for entry to the 2021, 2022, or 2023 editions of the festival, but no refunds of any kind would be paid.

For SXSW 2019 the ticket prices range from $825 to $1150 (for early tickets) for the 10-day interactive, film and music festival.

Via the SXSW website:

SXSW does not issue refunds under any circumstances. Any and all payments made to SXSW are not refundable for any reason, including, without limitation, failure to use Credentials due to illness, acts of God, travel-related problems, acts of terrorism, loss of employment and/or duplicate purchases. SXSW will not issue refunds for Credentials that have been revoked.

Oh, and this:

As you can imagine, people who have secured tickets, lodging, and airfare weren’t pumped about having coronavirus sail them up Shit’s Creek and SXSW refusing to throw them a paddle.

Oof.

Head up, SXSW. You could always be Coachella, who was just murdered.

Matt Keohan Avatar
Matt’s love of writing was born during a sixth grade assembly when it was announced that his essay titled “Why Drugs Are Bad” had taken first prize in D.A.R.E.’s grade-wide contest. The anti-drug people gave him a $50 savings bond for his brave contribution to crime-fighting, and upon the bond’s maturity 10 years later, he used it to buy his very first bag of marijuana.