Starfest Music Festival Looking For New Venue

The debut edition of Starfest Music Festival could be in jeopardy with the news that the city of Plano, Texas, has terminated its license agreement, roughly three weeks before the event. Organizers have said they’re still committed to putting on the festival in a new location.

The Sept. 8-9 event was supposed to take place at Plano’s Oak Point Park.

City manager Bruce Glasscock notified the festival via email Aug. 16 that “because Starfest is in material breach of the license agreement, and that breach is incurable, the City of Plano hearby terminates the license agreement immediately,” according to correspondence obtained by the Dallas Observer. Glasscock demanded that the festival immediately cease and desist from using the city of Plano’s logo and brand.

The email explains that Starfest had not complied with a stipulation in the license agreement that said the festival and city had to mutually agree on the headliners, in addition to providing “executed artist contracts to the city at least 48 hours prior to Starfest making any public announcement of the festival.”

The Observer points out that Starfest made its first artist announcement about Lil Wayne on Aug. 4.

– Starfest Music Festival

Plano’s assistant city attorney had reportedly told festival founders David Taylor and Bill Pletch Aug. 14 that the contract was at risk of being terminated, according to the Observer, which notes that Starfest was given a deadline of receiving the artist contracts by 5 p.m. at Aug. 16.  

Taylor reportedly contacted the city at 4:11 p.m. Aug. 16 and apologized, saying that the contracts were “taking much longer than originally told they would be from our attorney.”

Starfest touts itself as “the biggest two-day music festival in North Texas,” with a lineup featuring “the biggest stars in the world … performing for you in a location that will blow your mind.”  

The festival’s website promises country music from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and a mix of pop, hip hop and EDM from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., including performances from Lil Wayne, Machine Gun Kelly, Flo Rida, Bridgette Tatum, and Carnage.

Starfest has also made headlines for other legal troubles, with TMZ reporting that a talent buyer named Simon Perez is pursuing a lawsuit against the festival that claims Starfest didn’t deliver on his commission after snagging offers for Oak Point Park and Flo Rida. Perez reportedly claims that the festival “went behind his back to sign musicians on its own to avoid triggering his commission,” according to the gossip site.  

Festival organizers released a statement Aug. 17, assuring fans that Starfest is still happening: “We are aware that the Starfest Music Festival has caused some speculation because it’s based on the element of surprise. Although we’ve chosen an unconventional route for the festival doesn’t mean we haven’t taken the necessary precautions to guarantee a successful event for all attendees. Our goal from the beginning was to bring a unforgettable experience to the people of North Texas, and we’ve been working diligently to ensure this goal is met. We stand behind the Starfest Music Festival and will continue moving forward as planned … just at a new home.”

Starfest was not immediately available for comment.