It’s looking grim for any sort of music festival in Merritt next summer as a society organized to rescue the annual event has had no luck in securing investment support.

The festival has traditionally been property of a private company called Active Mountain Entertainment.

On its website, Active Mountain Entertainment has written that “Mountainfest: the Merritt Mountain Music Festival as we know it, has come to (the) end of an era”.

“At this time there will not be Mountainfest 2010.”

“Friends of Mountainfest and country music fans are invited to voice their support to help find a way to keep this great event in the Nicola Valley.”

One group of Merrittonians has been working toward bringing a music festival of some sort to the Nicola Valley in 2010.

The Merritt Entertainment Park Society formed this summer after news that Mountainfest would not be occurring next year. In August, the group set out to attract funding and vendors. At that time, the society told the Merritt Herald that it was putting together packages for investors, which are expected to be complete within the next week.

The packages were also given out to Okanagan-Coquihalla MP Stockwell Day and Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Kevin Krueger. It was hoped the packages would attract government attention and financial support.

In August, the society said it planned on holding negotiations with Active Mountain Entertainment to see if the festival grounds could be purchased.

It is important for the society to find willing investors as opposed to waiting for government grants, which would take too long to secure before next summer.

IIn August, the society said it planned on holding negotiations with Active Mountain Entertainment to see if the festival grounds could be purchased.

It is important for the society to find willing investors as opposed to waiting for government grants, which would take too long to secure before next summer.

In August, the society said it planned to be self-sufficient within five years. Investors would be paid back off the profit made on the festival.

Deanne Parise-Brigden was elected to hold the chair position at the Merritt Entertainment Park Society. Vice-chair is Chris Langhaug.

Langhaug informed the Merritt Herald last week that the Society hasn’t had much luck in securing funding for 2010.

“So far, we have approached all levels of government: city, regional, provincial and federal. We have also approached a number of private industry parties, including some from the music industry,” said Langhaug.

“$7.5 million is not easy to find in such a short time,” said Parise-Brigden in reference to the price of the festival grounds.

“We have shared a number of different strategies with the various parties, and all share our concerns about the serious overall economic impact the permanent loss of the music festival would have on Merritt.

“We also can’t discount the possible loss of the broad tourism media exposure we as a city have enjoyed as a side benefit of the music festival for many years. 

“It could collectively have the same, or even greater, economic impact than losing one of our mills in Merritt,” Langhaug said.

“We’re still looking,” said Parise-Brigden.

“To date, no funding has been received, pledged or set aside by any of the aforementioned parties for our cause,” said Langhaug.

But the Merritt Entertainment Park Society hasn’t given up.

“There’s going to be something,” said Parise-Brigden.

“We will continue to strive to meet our mandate, which is to seek ways and means of securing a long term music festival/event venue for the community of Merritt and, for the shorter term, finding a way to ensure a 2010 music festival will be held in Merritt,” said Langhaug.

The official goals of the society are to seek funding to secure an approved location to hold a 2010 music festival in Merritt, and to secure funding to hire qualified production personnel in order to produce a 2010 music festival. 

“We’re working with some of the locals who have some expertise with the musicians,” said Parise-Brigden.

The Merritt Entertainment Park Society said it may be able to lease the festival grounds from a smaller festival in the summer.

Dr. Don McLeod has also offered his land for use in a smaller music festival this summer.

Parise-Brigden said the smaller festival would seat 7,000 to 10,000 people.

The society is eager to accept aid from anyone interested.

“We welcome all community input, suggestions, thoughts and ideas,” said Langhaug.

The Merritt Entertainment Parks Society board will meet again on Nov. 13 to discuss its plans for the coming summer.

The clock is tickigfor a 2010 festival, as musicians need to be booked in advance of any possible event.

Meanwhile, the Fraser Valley will be hosting Indiefest 2010 - what is being called “Western Canada’s Biggest Music Festival Ever” by organizers.

IndieFest 2010 will be hosted just east of Chilliwack in Bridal Falls from July 30 to Aug. 2, 2010. It is expected to attract over 200,000 spectators, say organizers.

The annual event has grown over the years and is expected tickets may sellout before the early-bird deadline in December, according to a press release on the event.

The Merritt Herald will run updates on the status of the festival on a recurring basis.