Please find attached photographs and editorial hopefully that will be accepted for review at this time.
One week after the supposed 25th Annual Mango Festival we have many still holding bogus tickets, ticket stubs and wrist bands waiting for valid refund information. I write this as an appeal to the City of Deerfield Beach and to all sponsors on record. There is something inherently and morally disheartening when people are scammed, robbed and deceived on such a broad extent. My family along with many other hardworking families chose to patronize Deerfield Beach and the Mango Festival for Father's Day on June 19 and 20.

 

Some of us came from parts North and due South for this event. I personally contacted the 202-253-9661 provided on the website and spoke to Mr. Norris Wiggins about seating and show times just as I would do in any other trip planning event. He assured me that if it rained that the show would go on because the entertainers would be on a covered stage. That comment alone prompted me to upgrade my general seating tickets to VIP status at a cost of $120.00 for two (2) tickets which advertised covered seating, all you can eat and drink buffet were purchased at the park. Ticket sales were made well into the night with nary a performer taking stage. We observed numerous empty seats and people in $30.00 and $60.00 seating were allowed to come into the VIP section and it became obvious to a blind man that the projected attendance had not been met. Still they continued to sell tickets for as low as $10.00 for Sunday's show. This is when the event turned scam and the racketeering began. All credibility was forsaken. Many people were lied to and mislead well into the night. Shortly before 10pm, a representative whom we had seen earlier and who spoke to us to assure us that the performers are forth coming got on stage and apologized and attempted to talk about refund options when Deerfield Beach's Commissioner Sylvia Poitier sped up on a golf cart and shouted "Don't be talking refunds when we have not had a meeting". She stepped out of the cart and stated "we have no money and we don't know what we are going to do". She urged us to return Sunday for the show because the City of Deerfield was closing the park. Sunday afternoon when we arrived to the park we were not allowed in by the same individuals who escorted us around the park on Saturday; only this time we were taunted that "it's a beautiful day" and that they were "paid lovely ". Apparently they were paid with our money because they were there bright and early to bar our entry. There was no sign advising the public that the festival was cancelled but one was eventually placed at the entrance to the park obviously later that night. We called the police and Pompano officer Caldwell, BSO and the Sun Sentinel reported Mike Clary responded. We asked how can individuals in t-shirts were lawful in stopping us from entering a public park. The officers were very sympathetic and stayed with us a while trying to ascertain relevant information to give to us unlike the festival organizers. I received a case number (DR10-06-03172) and the same ticket booth now was deserted but for an overturned trash can labeled "ticket stubs". The City of Deerfield Beach, the sponsors – WEDR, Hot 105, etc. are equally responsible for making us whole again for in this age of the Internet, Twitter, Facebook and My Space it is corporate suicide to betray the masses in such despicable terms. To attempt to wash your hands of any connection; barely willing to address and admonish the perpetrators. This will not go away.  The Mango Festival legacy has been destroyed and murdered by a city too shallow and insensitive to step up and unite with us on behalf of our mentor of which the festival was to honor. RT Johnson, Miami-Dade 786-663-7586