Brooklyn Mirage Update Leaves Ticket Holders Frustrated
There’s still no word on when the Brooklyn Mirage will reopen, leaving frustrated ticket holders anxiously waiting. The next set of concerts is just around the corner.
Situated in East Williamsburg, this outdoor concert venue temporarily closed for renovations after the tragic deaths of two staff members. The anticipated reopening date of May 1 has come and gone without any official approval from the city.
Out of the blue, the venue announced the cancellation of its summer reopening plans after failing to secure the necessary city permits.
The latest news shared with ticket holders included cancellations of shows initially scheduled for the anniversary weekend, which have now been pushed to July and August, as noted in a recent Instagram update.
Fans expressed their disappointment at the lack of communication from the venue since the Memorial Day weekend announcement. One commenter quipped, “Has Y’all died?”
Temple Barros, 47, who has attended concerts at the Brooklyn Mirage since 2016, voiced his dissatisfaction. “I’m a regular visitor, almost every other week. But this year has been disheartening. I planned a trip from Florida to see a show, only to find out there were last-minute changes.”
Barros was looking forward to a DJ set by Dutch techno artist Sarah Landry on May 1, but that, too, was scrapped.
“We were all set to go. Then, just an hour before the show, we received a text message saying it was canceled. It was baffling,” he explained.
Christina P from Long Island also faced challenges when she took her cousin from Georgia to see an American DJ duo, Two Friends, on June 13. After seeing a social media announcement about the schedule, she felt uneasy about the show going ahead.
“I called the venue, hoping for clarity so my cousin could cancel her flight. They had no information and said they would call back later,” she shared.
Days before the concert, it was announced that the event would be rescheduled for September 12 at Central Park’s Summerstage. Unfortunately, this left Christina and her cousin grappling with a non-refundable ticket, even if they could still spend time together.
“We want transparency. They should have been clearer about the permit issues. It feels like a waste of time,” she remarked.
Despite having shows listed for the rest of June, the venue is still navigating permit problems.
The Building Department stated that the Brooklyn Mirage “is not permitted to operate” due to ongoing audits of a job application. They are also awaiting temporary council certificates to allow larger gatherings.
A spokesperson for the venue operator, Avant Gardner, has not responded to requests for a statement. Compounding matters, CEO Josh Wyatt was reportedly let go just days after the reopening plans fell through, despite having assured that everything was set for the May 1 launch.
“At the end of the day, you can’t just cancel and leave fans high and dry, especially those traveling from far away,” Barros reflected. “This place was our safe space; now it feels like that has vanished.”
