Hammond v. Renaissance Entertainment Productions, Inc.

A Court authorized the notice because you have a right to know about a proposed Settlement of this class action lawsuit and about all of your options, before the Court decides whether to give final approval to the Settlement. The Notice explains the lawsuit, the Settlement, and your legal rights.

The case is called Hammond v. Renaissance Entertainment Productions, Inc., Index No. 603099/2026 pending in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Nassau. The person who sued is called the Plaintiff. The Defendant is Renaissance Entertainment Productions, Inc.

In a class action, one or more people called class representatives (in this case, Chantel Hammond) sue on behalf of a group or a “class” of people who have similar claims. In a class action, the court resolves the issues for all class members, except for those who exclude themselves from the Class.

This lawsuit claims that Defendant failed to timely disclose service fees for online tickets to its New York Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo, New York, in alleged violation of ACAL § 25.07(4). The Defendant denies they violated any law. The Court has not determined who is right. Rather, the Parties have agreed to settle the lawsuit to avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with ongoing litigation.

The Court has not decided whether the Plaintiff or the Defendant should win this case. Instead, both sides agreed to a Settlement. That way, they avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with ongoing litigation, and Class Members will get compensation sooner rather than, if at all, after the completion of a trial.

The Court decided that everyone who fits the following description is a member of the Settlement Class:

All individuals in the United States who purchased an electronic ticket to the New York Renaissance Faire from August 29, 2022, to and through April 4, 2025.

Compensatory Relief. Settlement Class Members must submit a valid Claim Form by mail or on this website to receive a cash payment of up to $20.00. Defendant has agreed to pay all approved claims to the Settlement Class, together with notice and administrative expenses, approved attorneys’ fees and costs to Class Counsel, and a service award to the Class Representative.

Prospective Relief. Additionally, as part of the Settlement, Defendant acknowledges that it has changed the purchase flow for tickets to its New York Renaissance Faire on its website and agrees to continue to comply with the ACAL § 25.07(4) going forward.

A detailed description of the settlement benefits can be found in the Settlement Agreement, a copy of which is accessible here.

You must submit a Claim Form (see instructions below) to receive a cash payment. If you submit a valid Claim Form, you will receive a cash payment of up to $20.00.

You must provide proof of your Settlement Class membership when filing a claim by providing the Unique ID and PIN on the notice you received by e-mail. If for some reason you did not receive this information, but believe you are a Settlement Class Member, please call 1-877-239-7771 to verify your identity and receive further information on how to file a claim.

The hearing to consider the fairness of the settlement is scheduled for September 22, 2026. If the Court approves the settlement, you will receive your cash payment if you submitted a valid claim, 60 days after the Settlement has been finally approved and/or after any appeals process is complete. If you elected a cash payment, your payment will be made in the form you elected (PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or check), and all checks will expire and become void 180 days after they are issued.

To help ensure the timely delivery of payments, Class Members are requested to promptly notify the Settlement Administrator of any changes to their mailing or email address. Failure to keep address information current may result in delays in receiving payment.

Settlement Class Members must submit a valid Claim Form by mail or on this website to receive a cash payment of up to $20.00.

If the Settlement becomes final, you will give up your right to sue the Defendant and other Released Parties for the claims being resolved by this Settlement. The specific claims you are giving up against the Defendant are described in the Settlement Agreement. You will be “releasing” the Defendant and certain of its affiliates, employees and representatives as described in Section 1.25 of the Settlement Agreement. Unless you exclude yourself (see FAQ 13), you are “releasing” the claims, regardless of whether you claim your settlement benefit or not. The Settlement Agreement is available through the “Documents” link on this website.

The Settlement Agreement describes the released claims with specific descriptions, so read it carefully. If you have any questions you can talk to the lawyers listed in FAQ11 for free or you can, of course, talk to your own lawyer if you have questions about what this means.

The Court has appointed Philip L. Fraietta, Stefan Bogdanovich, and Eleanor R. Grasso of Bursor & Fisher, P.A. to be the attorneys representing the Settlement Class. They are called “Class Counsel.” They believe, after conducting an extensive investigation, that the Settlement Agreement is fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the Settlement Class. You will not be charged for these lawyers. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer in this case, you may hire one at your expense.

Class Counsel’s attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses will be paid separately by Defendant and awarded by the Court. Class Counsel is entitled to seek no more than $633,333.33, but the Court may award less than this amount.

As approved by the Court, the Class Representative will separately be paid a service award by Defendant for helping to bring and settle the case. The Class Representative may seek up to $5,000 as a service award, but the Court may award less than this amount.

To exclude yourself from the Settlement, you must submit a request for exclusion by 11:59 p.m. EST on August 24, 2026. Requests for exclusion may be submitted either on this Settlement Website (via the online form accessible at www.NYRenFaireTicketFeeSettlement.com/OptOut) or by mailing or otherwise delivering a letter (or request for exclusion) stating that you want to be excluded from the settlement in Hammond v. Renaissance Entertainment Productions, Inc., Index No. 603099/2026. Your letter or request for exclusion must also include your name, your address, a statement that you purchased electronic tickets to the New York Renaissance Faire from August 29, 2022 through and including April 4, 2025; and paid a service charge in connection with such purchase, your signature, the name and number of this case, and a statement that you wish to be excluded. If you choose to submit a request for exclusion by mail, you must mail or deliver your exclusion request, postmarked no later than August 24, 2026, to the following address:

No. Unless you exclude yourself, you give up any right to sue the Defendant and other Released Parties for the claims being resolved by this Settlement.

You cannot exclude yourself by telephone or by e-mail.

No. If you exclude yourself, you will not receive any payment from the Settlement Fund.

If you are a Class Member, you can object to the Settlement if you do not like any part of it. You can give reasons why you think the Court should not approve it. The Court will consider your views. To object, you must file with the Court a letter or brief stating that you object to the Settlement in Hammond v. Renaissance Entertainment Productions, Inc., Index No. 603099/2026 and identify all your reasons for your objections (including citations and supporting evidence) and attach any materials you rely on for your objections. Your letter or brief must also include your name, your address, the basis upon which you claim to be a Class Member, the name and contact information of any and all attorneys representing, advising, or in any way assisting you in connection with your objection, and your signature. If you, or an attorney assisting you with your objection, have ever objected to any class action settlement where you or the objecting attorney has asked for or received payment in exchange for dismissal of the objection (or any related appeal) without modification to the settlement, you must include a statement in your objection identifying each such case by full case caption. You must also mail or deliver a copy of your letter or brief to Class Counsel and Defendant’s Counsel listed below.

Class Counsel will file with the Court and post on this website its request for attorneys’ fees by August 10, 2026.

If you want to appear and speak at the Final Approval Hearing to object to the Settlement, with or without a lawyer (explained below in answer to Question Number 20), you must say so in your letter or brief. File the objection with the Court (or mail the objection to the Court) and mail a copy of the objection to Class Counsel and Defendant’s Counsel, at the addresses below, postmarked no later than August 24, 2026.

Objecting simply means telling the Court that you do not like something about the Settlement. You can object only if you stay in the Class. Excluding yourself from the Class is telling the Court that you don’t want to be part of the Class. If you exclude yourself, you have no basis to object because the case no longer affects you.

The Court will hold the Final Approval Hearing at 9:30 a.m on September 22, 2026, at the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Nassau, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501. The purpose of the hearing will be for the Court to determine whether to approve the Settlement as fair, reasonable, adequate, and in the best interests of the Class; to consider the Class Counsel’s request for attorneys’ fees and expenses; and to consider the request for service award to the Class Representative. At that hearing, the Court will be available to hear any objections and arguments concerning the fairness of the Settlement.

The hearing may be postponed to a different date or time without notice, so it is a good idea to check for updates by visiting this website or calling 1-877-239-7771. If, however, you timely objected to the Settlement and advised the Court that you intend to appear and speak at the Final Approval Hearing, you will receive notice of any change in the date of the Final Approval Hearing.

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No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. However, you are welcome to come at your own expense. If you send an objection or comment, you do not have to come to Court to talk about it. As long as you file and mail your written objection on time, the Court will consider it. You may also pay another lawyer to attend, but it is not required.

Yes. You may ask the Court for permission to speak at the Final Approval Hearing. To do so, you must include in your letter or brief objecting to the settlement a statement saying that it is your “Notice of Intent to Appear in Hammond v. Renaissance Entertainment Productions, Inc., Index No. 603099/2026.” It must include your name, address, telephone number and signature as well as the name and address of your lawyer, if one is appearing for you. Your objection and notice of intent to appear must be filed with the Court and postmarked no later than August 24, 2026, and be sent to the addresses listed in FAQ16.

These FAQs summarize the Settlement. More details are in the Settlement Agreement. You can get a copy of the Settlement Agreement here. You may also write with questions to NY Renaissance Faire Ticket Fee Settlement, PO Box 2569, Portland, OR 97208-2569. You can call the Settlement Administrator at 1-877-239-7771 or Class Counsel at (646) 837-7150, if you have any questions. Before doing so, however, please read all the FAQs carefully.