Frustration Grows After Canceled Lantern Launch at RISE Festival

Kisah Berita 1001 - What was meant to be an evening of inspiration under the Nevada sky turned into a night of complaints and disappointment for many who attended the RISE Festival south of Las Vegas.

Strong winds forced organizers to call off Friday’s highlight event—the mass release of sky lanterns. That decision, combined with hours-long delays and lack of communication, left ticket holders frustrated and asking whether they’ll see refunds.

Lincoln Marks, who traveled from California for the festival, described the letdown.

“One of the main reasons we came was for the lantern launch. It’s pretty disappointing that it didn’t happen,” he said.

Delays and Disorganization

The RISE Festival, held on the Jean Dry Lake Bed, drew thousands of people expecting a unique, once-in-a-lifetime moment. Instead, long waits to enter, limited food availability, and poor crowd management dominated conversations on Reddit and Facebook afterward.

“Some people gave up waiting for the shuttle buses and started walking miles back. It was chaos,” Marks recalled.

He added that food vendors quickly ran out of supplies, which worsened the frustration for attendees stuck in traffic and unable to leave for hours.

“Hopefully, they’ll make things right. A lot of us feel some kind of refund is owed,” he said.

History of Weather Issues

This isn’t the first time the RISE Festival has run into weather problems. Previous years also saw launches canceled due to storms or wind, with organizers offering discounts on future events rather than issuing refunds.

According to the festival’s policy, however, “all sales are final.” As of now, no official statement has been released regarding compensation for this year’s disrupted event.