HOUSTON – Concert organizers with ‘Kids Lets Party Fest,’ claim that their event was canceled by the Levy Park Conservancy due to what they call “discriminatory action.”
According to a poster, the event, “Kids Lets Party Festival” was a concert described as “the ultimate anti-bullying experience.”
But, officials with Levy Park Conservancy said that Ernesto Diaz, of Chuly Events, did not have ample time to complete the requirements for use of the park such as security measures, applicable City of Houston permits, and more.
“For at least two weeks prior to the scheduled event, the park representatives have been responding to both phone and online inquiries by potential attendees by stating that the event was not going to take place,” a news release said. “We are convinced by their interactions with both our potential ticket holders and with our event team members that this was a clear act of racial discrimination, and that they never intended to allow our event to move forward, regardless of the emotional and economic damage to our event organizers, our scheduled performers and to the eager children of our great city that they knew would result from their actions.”
Oscar-winning singer Adassa, better known for the movie “Encanto” and Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay spoke at the news conference. According to the event, they were two of many guests who were supposed to make an appearance at the concert.
The full news conference can be viewed below:
A spokesperson for the Levy Park Conservancy released the following statement to KPRC 2:
Use of Levy Park for an event is subject to a number of considerations and requisites, including among others, permitting and health and safety plans. These requisites are in alignment with City of Houston guidelines for event production and apply to any event within the Park. We did not have a contract with Mr. [Ernesto] Diaz until July 8, 2022. In that contract, Mr. Diaz agreed to these provisions.
Throughout the planning process, the requisites for Mr. Diaz’s event and timelines to meet them were communicated on numerous occasions. Despite these efforts, 48 hours prior to the set-up of the event, Mr. Diaz had failed to provide all the requirements for use of the park for an event of this scale including copies of applicable City of Houston permits, a security control plan, a site layout that complied with his permitted use of the park, locations of entrance and exit points, and when festival staff and contractors would be onsite.
As it relates to publicizing the event, events cannot be publicized without certain items being in place, including an executed contract and compliance with Levy Park guidelines. Absent those items, publicizing an event would be misleading to the public. Additionally, our contract with Mr. Diaz does not require us to publicize his event in any way.
Much time and effort was expended to support the event planning process and the park had a vested financial interest in the event taking place in the park. Unfortunately, due to Mr. Diaz’s failure to comply with his obligations, the event could not proceed. We are disappointed that the event did not happen as anticipated.