Sierra Nevada World Music Festival @ Boonville

[Drunk Monk]

‘The promoter literally took the money and ran’: No refunds for canceled Northern California music festival
By Aidin Vaziri, Staff WriterJuly 23, 2024

Reggae act Steel Pulse was among the acts scheduled to perform at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, which was abruptly canceled last month. It is unclear whether the artists were paid in full. 
Leon Morris/Redferns via Getty Images

Organizers of the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, which was abruptly canceled last month, have informed ticket holders that they lack the money to issue refunds.
The three-day outdoor festival, scheduled for June 20-23 at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, was scrapped at the last minute due to “extreme financial challenges,” according to a message from the promoters.
Initially, the refund status was unclear, but in emails reviewed by the Chronicle, event promoter Gretchen Franz Smith confirmed no refunds would be forthcoming. 
“We are truly sorry for the unavoidable cancellation and the delay in getting information to you,” the promoter wrote. “Since the cancellation, we have been working diligently with See Tickets and professionals to try to find ways to lessen the painful impacts. We are devastated to inform you that SNWMF does not have sufficient funds to reimburse ticket buyers.”
A screenshot of the email that organizers of the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival sent ticket holders announcing they would not be able to provide refunds for the canceled event.
Sierra Nevada World Music Festival
Franz Smith noted that preshow income, including ticket sales, covered costs such as artist advances, airfares, operational expenses, insurance, licenses, fees and advertising, most of which are “non-recoupable.” She added that festival insurance does not cover cancellations for low ticket sales.
The festival was supposed to feature dancehall and reggae artists like Busy Signal, Koffee, Steel Pulse, Third World and Barrington Levy. It is unclear whether the artists were paid in full. 
Responding to fee disputes filed with credit card companies, See Tickets, a subsidiary of Vivendi Ticketing, claimed customers “received the goods purchased.”
Franz Smith did not respond to Chronicle requests for comment on Tuesday, July 23.
“We bought tickets online the first moment they were available, were ‘lucky’ to get one of the very few premium RV campsites,” said Scott Romer of Rohnert Park. “Now we’re left with nothing.”
Based on receipts shared with the Chronicle, he spent $1,083.89 on two adult three-day passes for the festival and an RV camping fee.
“The promoter literally took the money and ran,” Romer said.
The festival has disabled comments on its most recent Facebook posts, including the notification of the cancellation.
Romer’s wife, Kirstin, said she was recently hospitalized.
“We have mounting medical bills due to my emergency surgeries, and the refund of that money matters to us,” she said. 
Franz Smith co-founded the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in 1994 with her late husband, Warren Smith. This year would have marked its 30th anniversary, known for attracting thousands for an immersive experience including camping, dance workshops and children’s activities.
As a consolation, Franz Smith said tickets would be honored at Reggae on the River 2024, produced by a different company, scheduled for Aug. 2-4 at County Line Ranch in Humboldt County, for those who registered in advance.
Romer said the festival required an additional $50 fee per day for admission and does not offer the same amenities at its campsite, such as electricity and water hookups.
“We cannot apologize enough for this turn of events,” Franz Smith stated at the time of the cancellation.

A rewrite, but a devastating one. What a sad ending to a once glorious festival.