[Update] Rave No More: Time Warp Festival Will Not Happen in a Historic NYC Armory After All

A major downer has befallen German dance music festival Time Warp’s much-anticipated debut in New York City. Today, organizers announced that their plan to take over the 100-year-old Knighstbridge Armory, one of the largest armories in the world, is a no-go—due to their failure to acquire the necessary permits from city officials.

“Although we were far into the approval process and had not experienced any issues, there’s always a risk when dealing with historical buildings,” reads a statement posted on the event’s website and Facebook page. The statement also assures ticket-holders that they are working with local officials to hold the festival “at the best possible location.”

Time Warp will span two days over Thanksgiving weekend, and the techno-leaning lineup features Richie Hawtin, Sven Vath, Anthony Parasole, Dubfire, Tini and more. Organizers were hoping to stage the event at the 180,000-square-foot Bronx armory (instead of a more traditional music venue) as a nod towards underground dance music’s warehouse roots. The 20-year-old festival was founded in 1994 in Mannheim, Germany, and has held international editions in Argentina, the Netherlands, and Italy. This year’s New York City edition will mark its 20-year anniversary.

As John Greenleaf Whittier once said, “For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’”

UPDATE: According to Time Warp’s Facebook page, the event is “100% taking place” in a new location 15 minutes from Manhattan. The new location is “similar in character and spirit to the Armory,” and will be announced along with new additions to the line-up.

@MichelleLhooq