Sad news for those hoping to ring in the new year by the beach: Gables in Grand Bend has announced it’s cancelling its 2-IN-TENTS New Year’s Eve Bash.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I write this to you today,” Gables owner Troy James Hogg said in a Facebook post on Friday night.
“I apologize more than words can express that we had to do this and I hope you can forgive this in the future.”
The event was originally planned to take place at the Grand Bend Motorplex under a massive heated indoor tent.
But due to issues regarding arranging the tent, Hogg said, the event saw a last-minute change of plans and was shifting over to the Western Fair Agriplex in London.
However, the move proved to be too late for Gables to fulfil insurance requirements in time.
Hogg says organizers were informed that to issue an insurance certificate, the underwriter required a physical copy of the newly issued liquor licence.
“The AGCO needed the full ten days for the new license which would have put us at next Thursday/Friday which didn’t work for the Western Fair’s Insurance policy providers to make this work in time.”
The bash was expecting 10 musical acts, two buffets, champagne and prizes.
Acts set to perform included Our Lady Peace, Sam Roberts Band, Monster Truck, Eric Ethridge and Keep the Faith.
To make it up to ticket holders, Gables says it will be giving free concert tickets “valued at the same cost of their NYE tickets to their choice of performers for next summer at no cost.”
“That’s at least 3 shows for free for each ticket holder.”
Gables says the cancellation resulted in a loss of more than a million dollars.