Just three days before it was scheduled to kick off its annual weeklong festival in the Dominican Republic, Groovefest has canceled its 2016 event.According to a Facebook post published around 10 AM PST, the promoters cite being unable to hit ticket sale targets as the reason for cancellation, thus being unable to fulfill some of their contractual agreements. The situation gets even more grim, as they write, "the company has now effectively ceased trading and we have formally instructed insolvency practitioners… to assist us with the formalities of placing the company into liquidation."Groovefest was founded in 2012 by London promoters Jason Nelhams and Courtney Tuck as an all-inclusive Caribbean getaway soundtracked by house and techno. This year, artists including Claude VonStroke, Gorgon City, Derrick Carter, DJ Pierre, Kenny Dope, and Justin Martin were scheduled to play the festival, which takes place on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic in Punta Cana. Plans were also in the works for a Malta edition in 2017.Before Groovefest made the last-minute announcement, a Facebook post made yesterday by Carter indicated that trouble was brewing. In the post, he said he would no longer be performing due to his agency not having received their deposit from the organizers. "I can't head off to another country for a show where the organizers haven't handled the most fundamental elements of booking an artist for an event," he wrote, adding, "Not sure about any of the other advertised performers situations."THUMP reached out to Groovefest organizers for comment.
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