Photo by Scott Enman
Brooklyn Mirage is Almost Absolutely Not Opening This Summer
According to city records, Brooklyn Mirage and parent company Avant Gardner have turned their attention to the 2026 season
Three months and a $30 million redesign later, the Brooklyn Mirage remains empty, plagued by failed safety inspections, unmet construction deadlines, and unresolved permitting woes. Now, according to DJ Nora En Pure, the venue won’t be opening at all this summer.
The Swiss artist shared the news in a social media post announcing her August 22 show at the club had been cancelled.
“As many of you know, Brooklyn Mirage won’t be opening this summer,” she wrote. “We have been holding hope for months trying to find a suitable venue to still bring you the Purified experience. Unfortunately, we didn’t find an alternative that could live up to the expectations, and rather than compromise we wait for next year.”
View this post on Instagram
The writing has been on the wall for some time, even before the Nora En Pure announcement. The venue’s parent company, Avant Gardner, has silently been cancelling and relocating shows for August, September, and now October. Disco Lines’ event, originally slated for October 10 at Mirage, has already been moved to Under the K Bridge (last year’s season-closing event was November 3).
One Avant Gardner employee, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed the venue wouldn’t be opening its doors this summer, describing a bleak environment within the company. “Things are honestly way worse than people realize,” they said in a statement to BKMAG. “Brooklyn Mirage definitely isn’t opening this year, and it’s looking very likely it won’t open next year either. The whole thing is a disaster.”
Meanwhile, it does appear Avant Gardner has turned its attention to 2026. The Mirage’s application for a Temporary Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation—required for event spaces where 200 or more people gather outdoors—has been moved to next summer. The company is requesting that the certificate go into effect on June 1, 2026, according to the Department of Buildings website.
Avant Gardner has yet to alert fans of the news, sticking to their radio silence strategy. They haven’t issued an official statement since the cancellation of Memorial Day Weekend programming on May 20. Rather than updating fans of changes, the business has relied upon brands, DJs, and ticketing apps to get the news out. The company has only been posting updated flyers with new venue information or links for refunds.
We reached out to the Avant Gardner team and Nora En Pure for a statement, but they were unable to provide comment for this article by press time.
Former CEO Josh Wyatt, fired in May amid construction delays, vowed that the company would be “forcefully transparent” in this new chapter, but the silence has been deafening. The only news from the Mirage has come inadvertently.
Avant Gardner’s non-executive Chairman of The Board Gary Richards, also known by his DJ alias Destructo, was overheard discussing the difficulties the company has had finding a buyer while dining at Per Se, a French restaurant in Columbus Circle overlooking Central Park. Richards, who took over day-to-day ops after Wyatt was axed, was also heard saying Avant Gardner is “bleeding money,” according to an insider at the restaurant.
An Avant Gardner operations team member, who asked for their name not to be used for fear of retribution, said they’ve also heard chatter about the company trying to sell, and surmised that “if they don’t get bought, they’ll definitely have to file bankruptcy.”
“The company is so broke that certain employees are missing months of back pay, and they’re not paying any holiday incentive wages. As far as speculation goes from me, this summer is a wash,” they said.
Curiously enough, despite the announcement of Nora En Pure’s show being cancelled, tickets are still available on the Dice ticketing app. Avant Gardner’s website also has 28 shows still listed at the Mirage—all of which will almost certainly be cancelled or relocated.
Many questions remain, though. Will the Brooklyn Mirage file for bankruptcy? Will they attempt to flip the script and emerge stronger next year with something to prove? Or has the trust of artists and fans been so eroded that a comeback is damn-near impossible under current management?
One thing is for sure: the Brooklyn Mirage certainly wasn’t “show ready” after all.
