Guadalupe County commissioners denied a permit to promoters of Float Fest, a two-day event featuring tubing down the San Marcos River and music concerts. The event was expected to attract more than 30,000 tubers and concert-goers, beginning July 20.
Float Fest is the brainchild of Marcus Federman, owner of Current Events LLC. Since 2014, Federman has expanded the number of bands playing at the two-day annual event, which takes place five miles east of San Marcos near the town of Martidale.
The festival's neighbors complain that with every festival, traffic in the area and drinking along the river both intensified, sparking safety concerns and noise complaints.
Federman told commissioners his company has done everything possible to address those concerns. But commissioners like Jack Shanafelt were not convinced.
“You did admit that last year you failed, as far as security goes,” said Shanfelt to Federman. “And now you’re saying this year you’re going to fix it — everything’s going to be fine. I don’t know I can trust that you’re going to do that.”
Guadalupe County commissioners rejected Float Fest’s permit for 2018.
Federman said he plans to appeal that decision to a district court judge and vowed that the festival will still take place this summer.
Ryan Poppe can be reached at rpoppe@tpr.org or on Twitter @RyanPoppe1
