Help us Keep Poi Story in Kern County/Camp Okihi
Help Keep POI STORY in Kern County/Camp Okihi
SUMMARY
Poi Story Arts and Music Festival, “the Festival” is the only festival of its type in the Valley and has been going on annually at Camp Okihi for four years. The Festival supports and promotes local and out of town artists, merchandise vendors, performers, visualists, photographers, non-profit entities that support knowledge of drug and alcohol abuse and knowledge of leaving no trace, food vendors, and more. The Festival provides interactive activities such as small gatherings in themed areas to do yoga, workshops, individual art in a fully themed art area, a positivity wall to write something positive, gatherings around a burn pit for a drum circle, themed camps, various types of performances at the amphitheater, music to dance to and gives each performer/artist creative control. It emanates comradery and freedom, breeds self-confidence and an all-over positive vibe.
This year, months after the Festival, the promoter received a letter from the Director of Kern County Parks and Recreation (“Parks Department”) based on an investigation that went on for months where the residents and law enforcement were contacted, a decision had been made that the Festival could no longer be at Camp Okihi. Not only was the promoter never warned that anything could be an issue to having the Festival at Camp Okihi, the promoter did not get contacted during this investigation, the fact that a petition was signed by residents was not mentioned in this letter, the promoter did not get a chance to plead his side for the Festival and the Parks Department has no idea what the Festival is or does for the community. The thing that is stopping the Festival? …Alleged noise. The fact that a minimal thing such as alleged noise once a year would stop a festival of this nature is disheartening. The first call mentioned in the letter was a noise complaint which the responding officers found the promoter inside the paid sound permit’s boundaries, therefore making the call unsubstantiated. The second call the Parks Department thought was another noise complaint and a report of drunken people at the Festival at 4am, breaking the rules during parks’ quiet time. In reality, the second call was FROM staff of the Festival complaining of loud music outside/next to the Festival and drunk people who were repeatedly breaking into the Festival harassing festival staff and attendees. So again, there was not a problem with the Festival. Yet, a decision was drawn to stop the Festival at Camp Okihi, which is the only place the promoter can produce such a festival. Even the Sergeant of the Park Rangers attempted to assist the promoter in locating another place and could not.
We need your support now.
Please sign this petition to indicate your support of Poi Story Arts and Music Festival staying at Camp Okihi and be a catalyst for economic activity and key promoter to build Bakersfield’s reputation as having and drawing a diverse culture to enjoy vast types of entertainment.
You can stop reading there or read on to further understand things.
Details of Poi Story and the Park/Rec Department's Biased Decision
Since its inception in 2012, Poi Story Arts and Music Festival has garnered thousands of attendees from all over the state to Camp Okihi, promoting Bakersfield as the Central Valley’s first and only place to hold an arts and music festival of its kind. The vast majority of our attendees/performers/artists, etc. travel from all over the state to Bakersfield/Camp Okihi to enjoy nature, our diverse culture, vast entertainment and the overall experience of the festival. The gains to Bakersfield/Kern County’s local economy are boosted, as people work very hard to get to Poi Story. People come from out town and the locals who are full of anticipation of this annual event, spend money on fast food, gas, groceries, gear, art supplies, lighting and much more to be a part of this. The promoter the art department each spend thousands every year to many different local businesses.
Camp Okihi is unique in Kern County/Bakersfield as it allows camping, attendees to enjoy nature, amenities such as the amphitheater, the burn pits and barbeque pits and the fact that it’s on the river is a plus. It is a favorite and memorable place to camp for attendees. There are live painters, art installations, a fully themed art area, yoga and other teachings/workshops. artistic performances at the amphitheater, interactive positivity walls, drum circles around a burn pit, music and lots of activities to do.
Poi Story utilizes non-profit entities that support and educate the awareness and responsibility of the effects of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as the importance of “leaving no trace”. Poi Story, in addition to supporting and educating various arts and spiritual freedoms, and self-esteem building, teaches about comradery during peaceful gatherings. Attendees take these things away from Poi Story. No other local/central valley festival or company does this.
Recently, the Director of the Kern County Parks and Recreation Department sent a letter to the promoter indicating that there was an “investigation” of the festival for months. During these months, apparently he spoke to local residents and law enforcement, but the County never contacted the promoter, asked to have a meeting, or advised the promoter of a petition regarding problems that would put an end to Poi Story at Camp Okihi. The letter was a decision, not a warning that something could stop the festival. Certainly, the County should have included contacting the promoter to see the positive nature of the arts and music festival in order to weigh out the positives and negatives during its investigation and to make an informed decision, as opposed to just siding with residents.
The letter stated two incidents this year were a problem and mentions no petition. The promoter called the County about the letter and was only then told the residents got a petition, otherwise it would still be hidden from the promoter. One call was a noise complaint for loud music. The second was a call that happened at approximately 4am, for loud music and drunk individuals, which breaks the quiet time rules of all parks. Responding officers to the first call found the promoter to be within the paid sound permit, thus making the call unsubstantiated. The second call was actually made by staff of the festival complaining about people who were playing loud music outside/next to the festival and were breaking into the festival drunk. Despite security removing them several times, they would not stop coming back. Officers came out and removed those people who were there illegally, and in fact came out the next day making sure we were ok and nobody was giving us problems again. This was not a call against the festival. Therefore there were no issues with the festival.
Officers over the years have stated they like what we do for the community and how we conduct business. We are a business producing an organized arts and music festival, not random people throwing a concert which provides only music entertainment. Yet, local residents have undeservedly attempted to vilify this festival because of noise, of which were not an issue. In addition, this event happens one weekend in an entire year. Therefore, it is not unreasonable that the event and the voices of many be allowed there and the residents asked to be rational.
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