Capital Hoedown organizer promises festival return
CBC News
Posted: Dec 12, 2012 11:14 AM ET
Last Updated: Dec 12, 2012 12:03 PM ET
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Capital Hoedown CEO Denis Benoit posted a letter to fans on Facebook. (Facebook)The organizer of the Capital Hoedown says he wants to try again to hold a country music festival in Ottawa after cancelling last year's event.
The beleaguered festival was cancelled this year after failing to pay the city on time for the rental of Walter Baker Park. The concert was then moved to a ranch on Fallowfield Road, but the city refused that plan because the property was not zoned to allow that kind of event.
The festival also had some difficulty in producing a lineup of musicians, and many high-profile artists originally slated to appear announced they would not be performing.
The event was ultimately cancelled, leaving would-be concert goers scrambling to get ticket refunds.
Organizer apologizes, promises lineup by February
In an unexpected update posted online Tuesday, Concert International president and CEO Denis Benoit apologized for the cancellation of 2012's event and promised a return in the summer of 2013.
"Words cannot express how truly sorry I am for the frustration and inconvenience that the cancellation of Capital Hoedown 2012 caused," wrote Benoit in a statement to 'country music fans.'
"Having endured several unforeseen operating obstacles, several media reports containing untrue, defamatory and injurious statements towards the festival and the City’s denial for a new event permit; it created a confidence issue among our ticket buyers and supporters and I was left with no choice but to cancel the festival," he wrote.
"Although the actual facts and specific reasons of the cancellation may never be disclosed, I urge our customers to think back to the two previous editions of Capital Hoedown that took place in 2010 and 2011 and relive how wonderful the experience was. Nonetheless, as the President & CEO of the festival it was my responsibility to ensure a smooth and successful execution of the event and I’m very sorry to have let everyone down."
Benoit said the lineup, venue and ticket information would be made available in February.
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