E2NY ends in rainout; will return in 2012

The inaugural Escape to New York Festival, which had to cancel its final day Sunday because of severe rainstorms, plans to return to the Shinnecock Reservation in Southampton next year.

Organizers say they were close to their 10,000-person capacity Saturday night and look forward to bringing the event that combined music, art, and "glamping" -- short for glamorous camping -- to Long Island again.

"I'm already looking at ways I can improve things for next year," the event's creator, Fred Fellowes, told Newsday before Sunday's cancellation. "We want it to grow organically and have this group of lovely people at its core."

Organizers said the move to cancel Sunday's events was a "difficult, but necessary, decision" made at the request of the Shinnecock Nation.

"There are safety concerns as a result of the rain and adverse conditions that may affect the general safety of both attendees and working personnel," Frederick C. Bess, trustee for the Shinnecock, said in a statement.

Fans were kept away from the grounds for hours while organizers and tribal leaders tried to determine whether they could continue with the show.

Refunds for Sunday's ticket holders are available at the point of purchase, while weekend pass holders were asked to check the festival's website for refund information.

For many, the hardest part was the waiting. Bands did sound checks and vendors readied for crowds for several hours before the decision, which disappointed both fans of headliner Of Montreal and the vendors looking to serve them.

The cancellation hurt many vendors who had been counting on three days of income.

"We paid a lot of money for a vendor space," said Mary Wegman, owner of Ibiza Love Child, which specializes in clothes for the beach and clubbing. "To make it work, we needed to make $30 an hour for three days. Take one-third of that away and it hurts our business."

Still, Wegman said she would definitely return to the festival next year.

"The first two days were fantastic," she said. "The promoters were great. The Shinnecock were great. The people who came were great. It was a wonderful time."