Over three installments, Houston’s Day For Night Festival has quickly become a major player in the festival game, acknowledged for its diverse and eclectic lineups, top-tier booking, and singular aesthetic. But a recent statement from the festival puts its future in jeopardy, as its founder, Omar Afra, has been accused of sexual misconduct.
The statement, released on Facebook, says that the “creditors of Day For Night were shocked and saddened to hear of the allegations of sexual misconduct against Day For Night founder, Omar Afra,” adding that they stand with the victims of abuse. They add that they’ve decided to “foreclose on the entity which owns the festival, effectively removing Omar Afra from any ownership or involvement in Day For Night from this day forward. Out of respect for these alleged victims, any announcement about the future of Day For Night will be made at a later date.” Check out the full statement below:
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While it certainly sounds like the Day For Night creditors are doing their part to make sure the victims and the festival are accounted for, a source inside the Day For Night camp claims (with shared text messages verifying) that these allegations had been known about since April and are only being acted upon now because of a social media campaign. The source, who asked to remain anonymous, also adds that beyond sexual misconduct are allegations of employee abuse.
The specifics of the allegations against Ofra are not known at this time, but in a statement on Facebook, Ofra acknowledged his stepping down from the festival while denying the allegations against him. Still, he does admit to having “veered away from what I knew was right.” Read his full statement below.
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