We’re sad to share that the Remethé Lounge will no longer be appearing at this year’s Same Same But Different Festival.

While we had been looking forward to bringing our experience to the event and had an agreement in place, the festival team made a change in plans.

After booking our full bar and lounge experience (including gallery, and stage acts), they asked us to implement a second bar and lounge area at no additional cost. We agreed in order to support the event and community - and at that time we thought we had a supportive business relationship.

Then, after agreeing to provide our entire lounge setup, a gallery, secured live art and entertainment for a $300 flat discounted furniture rental rate for their Pre-Party event on August 2nd, we were told we were not allowed to have either of our elixir bars at the main festival. We were told, it was because a sponsor of the festival was given the opportunity to be the sole elixir bar sponsor, even though they knew our financial agreement was to include the elixir bar, and neither sponsorship nor revenue share was ever offered to us. This was months after they had booked our full bar and experience, had numerous planning meetings - and had added on a second bar and lounge.

Their ultimatum was for us to bring the experience at our own cost to the festival, and took away other negotiated terms such as specific set times, disregarding the types of acts that we had agreed upon, and refusing to give us any credit or social media promotion. They spoke to us highly unprofessionally, and spoke down to our female owner.

We want to thank everyone who was excited to see us there — your support means everything.

We had spent months preparing, and had an incredible experience planned for you - and that was taken away, because in their words, “this bar partner’s activation will provide guaranteed revenue.” This impacted over 20 creative individuals, and is not the type of energy that aligns with our visions for the community or our goals, so we wanted to share our experience.

We hope to cross paths with you at another event very soon, and we’ll be announcing our next adventures shortly.

Step into the strange and splendid world of Bumstead & Co. Curios, a traveling cabinet of oddities, potions, and peculiar delights. This vintage-inspired experience invites you to explore a pop-up curiosity shop filled with elixirs, antique treasures, and interactive encounters designed to enchant and amuse. Part immersive installation, non-alcoholic elixir bar, part theatrical mischief — Bumstead & Co. is your portal to the weird, the whimsical, and the wonderfully unexpected.

Find us at SSBD 2025 and dare to linger... we’ve been expecting you.