DES MOINES, Iowa – More than 12,000 people bought tickets to go out to a country concert series at Des Moines Water Works Park last Friday.

The headline group, Treaty Oak Revival, brought those fans out by the boatloads. But a lot of concert goers were frustrated with the long wait lines to get into the venue, and for food and beverages once they were in. 

“Friday was hot, it’s a good summer night in Iowa so we needed some drinks, we ended up getting in the first drink line we saw,” said Leah DeBartolo from Des Moines. “It was about three hours by the time my group got up there to get our drinks, it was about right at that three hour mark and it was hot, our throats were dry, we were dying of thirst.”

DeBartolo highlighted the lines to get into the venue were also difficult to navigate, as there was one big line that broke out into several different security lines.

DeBartolo attended the concert with friends. It was her first time experiencing a concert at the Lauridsen Amphitheater, and it wasn’t a great first impression. Those working in the beer tents had to take payment, orders and make drinks for every patron. That is what built up the line.

Tents were running out of water supply, so workers had to pull water bottles that had been out in the heat all day, she said. She also mentioned that she saw an ambulance come in with lights on. From what she heard in the crowd, someone maybe had passed out in the heat. DeBartolo added that in the VIP section in the front of the venue there were people handing out water bottles and helping people get to the medical tent if needed.

By the time the hours-long wait in line was over for DeBartolo’s group, the concert was almost over.

“And then by the time we actually got to sit and enjoy it, it was probably maybe four or five songs, if that, if I’m remembering correctly,” said DeBartolo. “It just seemed like it went so fast and we really didn’t get to fully enjoy everything because the next part we were thinking of is, okay how do we get out of here?”

She shared a video with WHO 13 News that showed the slow moving lines leaving the venue after the concert was over.

“I would say Water Works definitely let patrons down,” said DeBartolo.

And she isn’t alone, there is a lot of of comments on Des Moines Water Works Park posts about the packed crowd, commenting their concerns and issues from the Friday concert. With some commenters even mentioning that they will not be back to the venue unless the service is sped up significantly. There were also positive comments on the post as well.

Des Moines Water Works Park Foundation’s Executive Director told WHO 13 News that they always look at feedback from customers after a show finishes up; and always look to make improvements to how everything at an event runs.

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