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The group, Juneteenth Celebration, began promoting the event in Newark's Branch Brook Park last month, after gaining police approval for the event expected to hold 3,000 to 5,000 attendees, they said in a statement.
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., however, said the group was publicizing the event without a permit. He went on to say their initial estimate of attendees later increased to 10,000, with previous events hosted by the same group drawing crowds up to 18,000 people.
On June 14, the group was given a 24-hour deadline to submit a $35,000 payment to secure the event, they said. Hoping for flexibility and understanding from, the group came up with just over $15,200, but because they didn't have the additional $20,000, the event was canceled, according to a statement.
“An event of this size has never been held or could be accommodated in Branch Brook,” he writes. “In addition, organizers did not supply insurance, permit fees, maintenance plan and security plan by the deadline.
“Because of these reasons we do not feel that Essex County Branch Brook Park is an appropriate location for the size of the event that was being planned.”
The group tried meeting with county leaders, albeit unsuccessfully, they said.
More than 400 comments had been published on DiVincenzo's statement as of Saturday morning, June 17.
"’m just sad for the vendors who spent time and money to prepare for this. That wasn’t a small task," one person wrote. "Or for the people who took off work or planned trips to attend. Sad."
"This same organization been having this event for 3 years straight and got met life stadium last year and I’m supposed to believe they don’t know how to do proper paperwork?" another added. "MET LIFE STADIUM?!?!"
A two-day Juneteenth Festival will be held in Essex County’s Weequahic Park on June 17, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and June 18, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will be hosted by the Council of Imams.
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