Sponsors release lengthy statement after Tacos and Tequila Fest in Franklin draws mixed reactions from attendees

 

FRANKLIN, Wis. (CBS 58) -- What was marketed as an all day and night celebration of fun, food, drinks, and live performances from several iconic 2000s rappers has drawn mixed reactions from the thousands of people who attended the inaugural Tacos and Tequila festival in Franklin on Saturday.

Crowds were already lining up in the early afternoon, hours before the gates were set to open at 3 p.m.

Alexis Nelson told CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White she arrived around 1:20 p.m. and that she had spent hundreds on VIP tickets. 

"It was a great show!" Nelson said, referencing concerts from artists like Twista and headliner Nelly. 

Purchasing VIP tickets meant a special location for ticketholders on the field and included drinks and a taco flight. 

Nelson said things were running smoothly until the first of several weather delays, caused by rain and thunderstorms sporadically throughout the night. 

"I didn't see any issue," Nelson said. "I thought it went great."

Heather Heiser, another festgoer, said she flew into Milwaukee specifically for the show.

"There were certainly some organizational issues, but in general it was a fantastic time," Heiser said. "I'd go again even if I knew the same issues would pop up."

Heiser said she was "just happy to be there."

"People got so hung up on the weather and lightning delay that they weren't able to just enjoy the experience, unfortunately," Heiser said. "The artists who performed were my absolute favorites from high school."

But others said they had the complete opposite experience -- waiting in multi-hour-long lines for not only food and drink but to even enter. 

"For this big of a venue, I feel that they should have had better organized it was extremely crowded. Once the people started coming in, there was no organization whatsoever," said Melissa Mallett. "After the first weather delay, it just was horrible."

Mallett said the near $200 dollars she paid wasn't worth her experience "at all."

"I will never go to one of their events again," Mallett said, adding that she believed the festival oversold tickets. "Garbage cans weren't being emptied. "Nowhere on there, it said there was a gratuity automatically added to our bills. They ran out of tequila. Most of the drinks were premade."

Georgia Klein said the website promised a cashless venue but found some food trucks only accepted cash -- this, after waiting in line for more than an hour for tacos.

"Also, on their website they said clear fanny pack or small clear purse only. Most people we saw had regular purses and clutches," Klein said. "By around 9 to 10, they were completely out of all alcohol."

The festival had also promised attractions like a salsa and queso competition, a chihuahua beauty pageant, and Lucha Libre wrestling.

"I didn't see any cars. The salsa and queso contest? No idea. I walked around to try to find these things and nothing," said A.J. DeGroote, who paid about $400 dollars for the Super VIP ticket. "There was supposed to be a VIP entrance and exit, there was supposed to be all-you-can-eat or drink, and that was not the case. We thought we'd have the time of our life and we thought we'd be treated a little bit better - not like cattle."

DeGroote said her experience was "unbelievable" as nothing seemed like what had been advertised.

"There was no bathroom, there was no toilet paper, there was no music," DeGroote said. "I don't know what else to say."

On the Taco and Tequila Fest's Facebook page, there are hundreds of comments from attendees on both sides.

One repeated one, however, is from people comparing the event to the Fyre Festival -- a music festival in 2017 that was marketed as "luxury" and promoted by many popular social media influencers but turned out to be fraudulent. 

"Fyre Fest in Franklin!" one attendee joked online. 

Social House Entertainment and ROC Ventures, two of the main sponsors of the event, posted a statement on social media late Sunday night in response to the mixed reactions.

You can read their full statement here. 

At Social House Entertainment and ROC Ventures, we would like to address the concerns raised by our attendees at the Tacos and Tequila Festival held this past Saturday. Both our teams strive to curate unique experiences, and we sincerely acknowledge there were aspects of the event that didn’t align with the high standards we set for both teams and our guests.

Firstly, we genuinely appreciate and value the feedback we've received. This year marked our inaugural festival at Franklin Field. Recognizing the challenges faced, especially regarding wait times for parking and admission, we are already in discussions and are identifying robust solutions to ensure smoother processes for our future collaborations. Additionally, we faced unexpected severe weather which further complicated the event's logistics. Despite these challenges, our teams were committed to pushing through to deliver the best possible show.

We cherish the community we're building together and, thus, encourage a spirit of positive discourse. While we respect and encourage open dialogue, we'd also like to point out that not all accusations or narratives being spread online are accurate. We strive for transparency and would urge our community to gather information from credible and official sources.

Both our organizations are wholeheartedly committed to making improvements, ensuring every attendee has an enhanced and safe festival experience in all our forthcoming events. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported and believed in our shared vision this year. Your feedback, positive or constructive, is invaluable and drives us to elevate the experiences we offer.

Together, we look forward to welcoming you to future events that celebrate the essence of community, music, and shared experiences. Thank you for your understanding, trust, and unwavering support.