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Avila Beach partygoers protest Forever Never Land

September 16, 2014

10665843_302072886664091_4918413688350832649_nUpset partygoers are taking to social media and threatening a lawsuit over a 21-and-up festival in Avila Beach over the weekend that did not deliver what it promised.

Forever Never Land, a weekend-long music festival with booze-filled activities occurred as scheduled at the Avila Beach Golf Resort on Saturday and Sunday. But, festival attendees say they missed out on multiple musical performances and a range of activities, like ziplining and slip ‘n sliding.

Disappointed attendees have launched a Facebook page, calling the event a scam and demanding their money back.

“If the people who put this event on do not refund our money back, we can all join together and file a lawsuit, including contacting the district attorney’s office for SLO, for fraud,” the FNL Scam Avila Beach 2014 Facebook page states. “We will make sure that this event will never take advantage of people again!”

Some guests say they spent as much as $250 on a single VIP ticket to the festival.

The angry response induced an apology from event organizer Valerie Wang.

“I wanted to create a wonderful festival for everyone to enjoy, and I regret to admit that I have failed to successfully pull this off,” Wang said in a written statement. “With so many unforeseen financial woes, my hands were tied and I had to make some tough decisions on what to cut down.”

Wang initially planned for the event to include 10,000 attendees, but the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors limited the number of partygoers to 3,000.


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Why does the County not require a insurance policy for the event that would include safety, commitment, and covered costs. She should be banned from this County “FOREVER”.


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The party goers knew something was up when performer claiming to be Lady Gaga turned out to be Bruce Gibson in drag.


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Any idiot that would pay 250 bucks for something like this deserves to be shafted.


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Exactly right. These fools could entertain themselves at a sports bar or on the beach for next to nothing. 3,000 stoners and Cal Poly freshmen are mad because they got ripped off? They should be used to it by now.


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Probably a good thing there were only 3,000 pissed off people instead of 10,000. That would have been riotous — booze, breeze, beach, and lots of anger — !!!


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There was pretty much no way for this event to succeed, and while she knew that months out she chose not to change the course. She continued promoting the event as “business as usual” and only posted an apology and explanation to the lack of promised activities/bands onSunday evening after 2 days of online backlash.


This is absolutely a bait and switch situation. Since Sunday all references to the event, her business website, facebook, twitter, and outgoing voicemail message have been deleted with no other public response or response to media inquiries. Additionally, she has not responded to any email requests for refund as promised.


It’s easy to hope that she is a good person who got way in over her head due to lack of experience and funding, however her (lack of) response isn’t really showing that.


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Let’s recap a bit here: This was a first time event, put on by a “producer” that had NEVER produced an even by herself (she did have experience working for other show producers, but not by herself), in her request to the BOS, there was no provision added as a condition by the BOS (apparently) that she show how she was going to execute a plan for parking, traffic management nor any sort of requirement that she have any sort of bond or deposit to possibly reimburse law enforcement agencies for their time involved in traffic or policing efforts.


This whole event was doomed from the start, IMO; too large for the venue (originally), not enough experience by the producer, not enough funding on hand to insure all contracted performers and providers were paid, and certainly not enough planning. FAIL.


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You’d have made an excellent source for this story, Bob.


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Read the Grand Jury reports for 2012-13 and the follow up report of 2013-14 re the Temporary Event Ordinance Amendment. The BOS is responsible for messes like this because they fail to act on this measure, despite the Planning Department presenting this to them every year.


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slocourts.net/downloads/grand_jury/reports/2012/AnEventIsAnEvent.pdf


slocourts.net/downloads/grand_jury/reports/2013/CONTINUITYFINAL.pdf


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They’ve got to fight…for their right….to paaarty!


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Not surprised. That whole thing just sounded a little goofy right from the start.


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Adam Hill had a hand in this fiasco as he is one of the first ones who brought it to the BOS. Luckily it was not allowed to have a capacity of 10,000 or else there would be even that many more pissed off ticket buyers


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Or perhaps, if she had had the attendance of her original plans, and the income, she would have pulled it off to her vision. That’s a pretty huge cut in anticipated income vis a vie attendance.


That being said, when she was aware the income didn’t match the plans she should have advised people there would be changes in the venue. Sounds like inexperience, and failure to plan, not fraud.


Sorry for your disappointment however!


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Actually, Adam Hill was against it and is on record as such. The only BOS is support on the

record was Debbie Arnold.


Certainly not an Adam fan, just want the facts out there correctly.


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I was at most hearings etc regarding this. You are right-Adam Hill did have a hand in this. He put forth some of the most challenging questions to Wang and co. He also firmly opposed the event as presented @ 10,000 people per day. Debbie Arnold kept insisting that residents of Avila Beach should “learn to deal” with an event whereas there will be 10,000 people. 4 of the supes were trying to help Wang with the event succeed at 3,000 people.

Every public speaker was firmly against the event but Arnold dug deep as if she stubbornly disagreed with everybody because she just wants to fight the majority of common sense.

I dont follow politics, I dont follow these stooges however it might be fun to follow Arnold. She appears to be a hater. It may be fun to watch her fight with the majority of common sense. My comments are what I witnessed. In hindsight-probably a good idea that Arnolds vote wasn’t a deal breaker for 10,000 people. The promoter would have lost millions instead of thousands.


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BOS have a right to be pro or con on any subject. That is why it takes 3 sup’s to pass. Blame Debbie but there were obviously 3 other supervisors who agreed with her.


IMO Debbie’s mantra goes along the line of letting the public have their rights and also exceptions are made everyday for events, projects, and development.


If you knew Debbie she is definitely not a hatter, that title falls on Gibson and Hill who don’t want to deal with the County serfs, pea ons and little people..


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Good post, SLOBIRD. very terse accurate summary of this issue and Gibson/Hill in general. + 1 on your post.


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Hatter? Like The Mad Hatter? LOL.


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