Another deadline for the Havelock Jamboree has passed without word from organizers about a 2022 line-up, resulting in a stream of complaints from ticketholders. An announcement regarding a line-up was supposed to come on May 31, 2022, but event organizers failed to announce anything.
The Jamboree is an outdoor camping and country music festival that usually hosts 20 thousand visitors from across the country
The festival was cancelled due to COVID-19 the last two years.
The only word about a possible festival this year is on the festival website: “We recognize that you want answers as to whether there will be a 2022 or 2023 show and as to a refund process and we hope to have those answers soon. We certainly have not forgotten you but don’t want to give you a statement that is incomplete.”
A Facebook fan-page has dozens of comments from people asking why they haven’t been issued refunds. Global News has obtained copies of fan complaints to banks, credit card companies and the Ontario Ombudsman regarding their payments.
“Let’s face it! It is pretty hard to be positive. The owners just keep prolonging the news. They need to be upfront with all of us and tell us what is happening. They have had a few years to figure it out along with keeping all of our money,” writes Donna Grose, a fan of the event.
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“With all the struggles dealing with COVID the last couple of years, I’m sure it hasn’t been easy. I’m praying that you can get through whatever it is and bring this amazing event back to life,” writes MJ Whalen on the venue’s Facebook page.
Early bird tickets sold for $260.00 each. With an average 10,000 people in attendance per year, the funds collected for the event could be more than 5 million dollars.
The festival has widely been supported by the Municipality of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, but township staff, including the Mayor, do not know what the festival’s next steps are.
“You couldn’t brand yourself better than having an event like that with so many people coming to our town every year. I hope it does come back and I’m sure it will,” said Mayor Jim Martin.
While the township promotes and supports the event, it is not directly involved in the planning of the festival other than through an event permit and to ensure safety measures are met.. It’s held on private property.
It should be noted that Global Peterborough and Kingston have sponsored the event in prior years. Requests from the sales departments regarding advertising for this year’s event have gone unanswered.
Organizers Paula Chopik and Ed Leslie haven’t responded to requests for information, including calls from Global News and a letter sent by courier.
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