Securing a ticket to this year’s Sun God Festival was a race against time — one that not everyone could win.
Every year, students look forward to attending the student-fee funded festival. This year, tickets sold out at 6:15 p.m. — within six hours of release — leaving the many students unable to secure tickets frustrated and angry.
Comparing this year to previous years, one Reddit user commented: “Absolute bs like why is this event sold out but last year you could get tickets days later.”
Newly reelected Associated Student President William Simpson expressed plans to allow UC San Diego students to bring non-UCSD guests to Sun God Festival starting next year. This change could further increase demand for an event to which many students already struggle to secure tickets.
Jiya Patel, A.S. Concerts and Events festivals director, said that 19,000 undergraduate tickets and 500 graduate tickets were available this year, in a statement to The UCSD Guardian. Additionally, 500 tickets were allocated for “students who experienced issues during the ticket redemption process.”
The UCSD Guardian surveyed about 80 students and found that around 13% of students who wanted to attend Sun God Festival were unable to secure tickets. Respondents highlighted concerns about the festival’s inaccessibility due to the competitive ticketing process.
Ticketing experiences varied widely among the students. Some described the process as quick and seamless, with one student noting they secured a ticket “in under five minutes.” Others, however, encountered technical difficulties, long loading times, and confusion about when tickets were actually released.
A recurring theme across survey responses was website instability. Students reported pages failing to load, being stuck in waiting rooms, and uncertainty about whether refreshing the page would disrupt their chances. One respondent said they were stuck on a loading screen for nearly an hour before finally gaining access — only after ignoring warnings not to refresh.
Patel said that some students faced “eligibility or access issues” during the ticket reservation process, and that students who reached out to ASCE before the tickets sold out received support.
Beyond technical issues, timing played a major role in who secured tickets. Multiple students noted that the ticketing portal opened earlier than the advertised noon release time, giving an unfair advantage to those monitoring the site or receiving information through word of mouth.
Third-year Cardinal Acovera said he was able to secure a ticket after seeing a Reddit post noting the early opening. Acovera logged on at around 11:15 a.m.
“I think it was easy for me because I saw that Reddit post,” Acovera said. “I imagine for other people, it was harder.”
Patel told The Guardian that a technical issue with the ticketing system allowed for limited early access to tickets before the official launch time, but the issue was resolved quickly, and the full release still proceeded as planned.
Compared to 2025, students widely agreed that tickets sold out significantly faster this year. Some respondents recalled being able to wait days to reserve tickets last year, whereas this year’s tickets were fully reserved within hours. Patel confirmed that in previous years, “tickets remained available for a longer period, ranging from several days to a few weeks.”
Students pointed to several possible reasons for the increased demand. Many respondees cited a more popular headliner and artist lineup, along with growing enrollment.
“More people means more competition, and the capacity is the same,” Acovera said.
According to Patel, considering demand from undergraduate and graduate students and the capacity of RIMAC Field, ticket numbers have remained consistent over the past several years.
The shift has also changed how students approach the event. Many described feeling pressure to prepare in advance — opening multiple devices, refreshing pages, or closely monitoring social media — to secure a ticket.
Others called for clearer communication from festival organizers, particularly through official channels like email, rather than relying heavily on Instagram for updates. Suggestions for improvement also included preventing early access to tickets, increasing ticket availability, and improving website performance.
Patel maintained that ASCE is “continuing to review the process to minimize disruptions in future years.”
Still, for those who managed to secure tickets, the excitement remains. Sun God Festival continues to be one of UCSD’s most anticipated annual traditions, even if getting in has become increasingly competitive.
