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The Guadalupe County Commissioners Court will hold a special meeting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24 to consider a permit for Float Fest 2019.
The annual tubing-and-music festival is seeking an outdoor music festival permit to hold the event Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 21 at Cool River Ranch, located at 601 Dupuy Ranch Road in Guadalupe County, along the banks of the San Marcos River.
The permit is seeking 25,000 attendees per day. That’s 5,000 more per day that commissioners, who initially denied a 2018 permit, allowed after promotor Marcus Federman threatened to sue the county over its denial. He had originally requested that 30,000 people per day be allowed to attend the 2018 festival.
The multiple-stage festival, which also includes camping, generated $12.3 million in Hays, Guadalupe and Travis counties last year, promoters say. However, it has met with opposition from people who live near the site each year since its inauguration in 2014 — with complaints ranging from noise and litter to traffic tie-ups that left many nearby residents unable to leave their homes. Access to the site is via a two-lane roadway with no usable shoulders.
Complaints have also included the impact to the river, including trash and water quality degradation. Each year dozens of volunteers are on the river during the festival to take empty cans and otherwise advocate for a cleaner river.
The hearing will be held on the third floor of the Guadalupe County Courthouse, 101 E. Court Street, Seguin. There will be an opportunity during the hearing for those supporting or opposing the festival to speak.
For those unable to attend, the hearing will be live streamed through Guadalupe County's website.
