LAS VEGAS (KLAS) What was supposed to be a night of beauty and inspiration at the RISE Festival, located south of Las Vegas, instead left many attendees disappointed and demanding answers.

High winds forced organizers to cancel the signature lantern ceremony Friday night, and now, frustrations over refunds and communication are growing.

“I mean, one of the biggest sky lantern festivals, that was a huge part of us being here, but it was a little disappointing that they canceled it,” said Lincoln Marks, who drove in from California.

For the thousands who made the trip out to Jean Dry Lake Bed, the RISE Festival was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, the weather wasn’t the only source of frustration on platforms like Reddit and Facebook, where frustrated attendees shared their disappointment.

For people who paid hundreds of dollars to be part of that glowing moment, hours-long entry delays and poor communication made their experience a bit disappointing.

“People weren’t taking the shuttles, they just got out because they felt trapped like, ‘We got to get out of here,’ so they were trying to walk like three miles, and it was crazy,” Marks said. 

Marks also pointed to the lack of food and disorganization, which he said made for a hectic night.

“Hopefully, we’ll get some kind of payment because people are pretty frustrated, like ran out of food. People were in cars for three hours, really needed food and nothing. So hopefully, they’ll do some sort of refund,” Marks said.

It’s not the first time the festival has faced weather trouble. In previous years, storms and high winds also forced organizers to call off lantern launches, offering discounts on future tickets instead of cash refunds.

RISE Festival’s ticket policy states, “All sales are final.” Organizers haven’t announced any plans for refunds or credits.