BETHLEHEM, Pa. – ArtQuest is warning anyone who hopes to see a 400-pound, nearly 5-feet-tall Peep drop to help ring in the New Year to make sure their tickets are authentic.
- ArtsQuest has learned that fraudulent tickers to Peepsfest were being sold on the website Eventbrite.
- Organizers are concerned about fake tickets, as this weekend's event is nearly sold out.
- ArtsQuest is urging anyone who bought a phony ticket through Eventbrite to try to get a refund.
PeepsFest is back at SteelStacks this weekend, but someone online reportedly has been shilling fake tickets to the event, organizers said on social media late Tuesday.
ArtsQuest Communications Director Shannon Keith said organizers are concerned about fake tickets, as the event is nearly sold out.
She said organizers found out late Tuesday that someone had been selling fraudulent tickets through the ticket website Eventbrite.
"Unfortunately, Eventbrite tickets will not allow access to the festival," Keith said in an email to LehighValleyNews.com. "So we strongly encourage anyone who bought on that site to get a refund immediately and purchase from the SteelStacks PEEPSFEST site."
Organizers said that ArtsQuest doesn’t use the Eventbrite to sell tickets. As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, the Eventbrite listing was taken down.
Later Wednesday, a representative of Just Born, the maker of Peeps, told LehighValleyNews.com the company will make sure everyone who bought an unauthorized Peepsfest ticket through Eventbrite would "be immediately refunded and receive email communications confirming their refund.”
"Unfortunately, Eventbrite tickets will not allow access to the festival, so we strongly encourage anyone who bought on that site to get a refund immediately and purchase from the SteelStacks PEEPSFEST site."Shannon Kieth, communications director for ArtsQuest.
Peepsfest will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, and Saturday, Dec. 31.
The event will be held outside and organizers said that there will be a chick drop about 5:30 p.m. on both nights, followed by fireworks, to celebrate the new year.
Official tickets to Peepsfest cost $5 and are available directly from ArtsQuest.
Tickets can also be upgraded to include a skate session at The Ice Rink at SteelStacks.
