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GoogaMooga Returns to Brooklyn After Last Year's Debacle

By Elizabeth Barber | March 26, 2013 5:32pm
 The GoogaMooga Festival Will Return to Brooklyn in May
The GoogaMooga Festival Will Return to Brooklyn in May
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PROSPECT PARK — The Great GoogaMooga Festival is coming back to Brooklyn, but the largely free music and food festival is making a raft of changes to address the shortcomings of its inaugural show, including cutting the price for its VIP package.

Last year's concert and culinary series drew tens of thousands to Prospect Park, but left many attendees who scored tickets to the show upset because food and drinks ran out, there were long waits for bathrooms and a lack of cellphone service on the grounds.

Extra Mooga guests, or V.I.P. visitors who had paid $250 a pop, were also unsatisfied and were reimbursed the price of their ticket after organizers agreed that the experience had not been worth its price tag.

“We always learn a lot from first year events and taking all the feedback into account” said Jonathan Mayers, Co-Founder of Superfly Presents, in a statement.

This year, the area for free General Admissions ticket holders to the show will be expanded and organizers will be "increasing points of sale and improving transaction speeds for food and beverage purchase," Mayer said.

The show, produced by Superfly Presents, which also runs the annual Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee, will also run from May 17 to 19, a day more than last year.

However, tickets to the first night's opening concert, featuring the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Flaming Lips and the Darkness, will be $49.50.

The V.I.P. option, now called the Cocktail Experience, will also be cheaper than last year at $79.50 a day on Saturday and Sunday, promising high-end cocktails in special tents. The VIP ticket is for five of the high-end cocktails and premium viewing of the main concert stage, but does not include special access to food.

The festival will also feature 85 restaurants, 10 more than last year, which are slated to serve up decadent creations such as donuts stuffed with fois gras and Guinness stout brownies.

New to the dining roster will be Gywnnett St., Pork Slope, Motorino, Salvation Taco, Umami Burger, Pig and Khao, Pok Pok Phat Thai and Jeepney, joining returning eateries such as Roberta’s and Calexico. The festival will also offer 75 beer and 100 wine varieties.

As for music, GoogaMooga will feature live performances from 20 groups on two stages including the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Flaming Lips, De La Soul, the Darkness and Matt & Kim.

General admissions tickets for Saturday and Sunday will be free, as they were last year. To score a ticket, hopefuls must enter an online lottery at googamooga.com from Monday, April 1, to Wednesday, April 3, which will select applicants at random. Recipients will be notified by e-mail on or before April 10.

Each Friday ticket buyer is guaranteed a free ticket for Saturday or Sunday. All tickets for the festival will go on sale Thursday at noon.