In their quest for a venue, Float Fest organizers are going to the Gonzales County Commissioners Court.
The Gonzales Inquirer reports that the commissioners in Gonzales County will hold a hearing regarding a mass gathering permit for Float Fest at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 23, at the Gonzales County Courthouse. Marcus Federman, who founded the festival, gave a presentation to the commissioners about float fest at their April 15 meeting.
Float Fest had been held at Cool River Ranch, on the banks of the San Marcos River in Guadalupe County, despite complaints from people living near the festival site — largely about noise and traffic. One year, Float Fest included helicopter tours that reportedly flew low over people’s houses across the river from the festival in Martindale.
Earlier this year, the Guadalupe County Commissioners Court denied Federman the mass gathering permit needed to hold the festival at Cool River Ranch, citing safety concerns. Residents of a neighborhood near the festival site had said that during the festival, it becomes difficult if not impossible to get in or out of their neighborhood. Federman took Guadalupe County to court to appeal the commissioners’ decision. On April 10, a post on the Float Fest Facebook page said that the festival’s lineup announcement was coming soon. On April 11, 25th Judicial District Judge William Old upheld the Guadalupe County Commissioners Court decision.
Between the initial denial and the appeal in district court, Float Fest organizers approached the city council in Gonzales about holding the festival at J.B. Wells Park. The council ended up denying the festival use of the park.
As of Thursday afternoon, Float Fest still had not announced a lineup on its Facebook page, but there are comments on the post assuring people that the festival is still happening.
“So is it really going down because I keep trying to get ticket prices and I keep seeing that they never got permission,” one Facebook user asked on April 11 in a comment on the post. Float Fest responded, “yes it is, details soon.”
