Beach Fest music shuts down early after contract upset (updated 3/18/13)

[TexasTowelie]

Last edited Mon Mar 18, 2013, 11:34 PM - Edit history (2)

CORPUS CHRISTI — BeachFest 2013 attendees were asked to leave Cole Park early Saturday afternoon, police said, when the music entertainment event shut down abruptly.

Festival organizer Beth Guarneri said there was a miscommunication concerning who would pay CCPD officers at the event and when the bill would be settled.

“We’re still trying to figure out what happened,” Guarneri said. “Between CCPD, the holder of our liquor license and Budweiser, something went wrong.”

After learning the alcohol sales would not be as much as planned, Guarneri said she could not afford to keep the officers. Without the officers, Corpus Christi Parks and Recreation Department said at about 2 p.m. that onstage music had to be shut down.

More at http://www.caller.com/news/2013/mar/16/beachfest-shuts-down-early-after-contract-upset/ .

[font color=green]Bad news for the 70+ bands that were supposed to play there over the next three days.

And the piss poor planning award goes to...[/font]

[font color=navy]UPDATE:

CORPUS CHRISTI — Beach Fest was supposed to be Corpus Christi’s answer for a local music festival — 70 performers during three days with some proceeds benefiting nonprofits that serve the homeless. Instead, the festival came to screeching halt Saturday.

It left many wondering Monday what happened, and Beach Fest organizer Beth Guarneri trying to figure out how to make things right.

“It got bigger than I expected it to be, in a sense,” Guarneri said.

As of Monday, off-duty officers who worked Saturday hadn’t been paid and bands who paid a $25 registration fee and didn’t play the event hadn’t been reimbursed, Guarneri said. The Food Bank of Corpus Christi didn’t receive any donated canned good items, as the event promoted, food bank officials said.[/font]

http://www.caller.com/news/2013/mar/18/beach-fests-abrupt-ending-saturday-leaves-many/

[AndyTiedye]

1. They Shut it Down Because the Patrons Weren't Drinking Enough ?!?!??

After learning the alcohol sales would not be as much as planned, Guarneri said she could not afford to keep the officers. Without the officers, Corpus Christi Parks and Recreation Department said at about 2 p.m. that onstage music had to be shut down.

[susanr516]

2. Poor event planning

Cole Park and the bayfront are family-friendly Spring Break areas. The party hearty crowd is out on the island or hitting the downtown bars at night. It was also not advertised nearly enough. Parks and Recreation was smart to close it down. Without police controlling traffic on Ocean Dr., someone could have been killed trying to cross. There's no traffic lights at Cole Park, nowhere near enough parking, and Ocean is a major street, 6 lanes of traffic. I avoid Cole Park like the plague whenever there's a big event there. Too much hassle trying to find somewhere to park and way too many people jay-walking.

[TexasTowelie]

3. Update addded 3/18/13:

http://www.caller.com/news/2013/mar/18/beach-fests-abrupt-ending-saturday-leaves-many/