Town Board rejects June 12 Latin Music Festival after earlier event draws too large of crowd

The Riverhead Town Board on Wednesday voted down a proposal to hold a Latin Music Festival at the Dorothy P. Flint 4H Camp on Sound Avenue.

The event was scheduled for Sunday, June 12, 2022, from 1 to 9 p.m.

A similar festival held Sunday, May 15 was shut down by police after it exceeded its 1,000 maximum occupancy, with cars parked on the side of the road. That event was also to run from 1 to 9 p.m. 

Town Board board members cited the May 15 circumstances in explaining their votes against the special event application for the June 12 event.   

“In light of what happened last weekend, I have to vote no,” Councilman Frank Beyrodt said. 

“This organization can take their interest to other towns,” Councilman Tim Hubbard said. “I don’t want them in our town anymore and I absolutely vote no.”

Councilman Bob Kern also explain his no vote.

“I think this group needs to go back to the drawing board and take a little more time and get their online ticket sales in order,” he said.

Councilman Ken Rothwell said he agreed with Mr. Kern and said the application should be reviewed with “further consideration given toward traffic limits.”

Supervisor Yvette Aguiar was not present at Wednesday’s meeting. 

Alex Garcia, the director of the Mexican Folkloric Dance Society of New York, which sponsored the May 15 event and the proposed June 12 event, said Thursday that he wasn’t aware the Town Board  had rejected the upcoming event. Mr. Garcia said the June 12 event was to have similar music as the May 15 event. 

He said he will wait until he hears from the town to determine what to do next.