"Tremendous success, exceeded even our rosiest expectations" said Andrew Jacobs. He estimated about 8500 visitors. Really??? A success? 8500 visitors? I think Andrew needs to make an appointment at a local optician. I'll even pay for it. It was not a "Tremendous Success!" There was nowhere near 8500 people!

This was the absolute worst festival I have ever been part of and I've been doing these since the mid 70's! Where do I start?

The Borscht Belt Museum must be raking in the dough to have the funds to hire an outside promoter with staff plus (Angel and Fairy walking around blowing bubbles.) That just SCREAMs Borscht Belt but back to that in a few.
Due to a personal issue I needed to have parking close to me. 2 different of the promoters staff tried to reach her on walkie-talkies. They received no response.
Why did the band have to be playing in the parking lot instead of the Hunt Building (how much did the stage for the band cost? See item 1)
Why have the food in the parking lot instead of Liberty Square like it always is. Or better yet have them on Canal Street so the area I was in didn't look like a ghost town with empty spaces!
One vendor told me that they got there at 8:40 to unload and was denied entry by the promoters staff. They had to find street parking and carry their products by hand to their space. By the way when they got to their space it was blocked by a van. After several attempts to get a response from the promoter by walkie talkie they finally got a response. Wanna take a guess whose van it was???? The promoters!!!!!!!
Vendors on Sunday. This is 100% fault of the Board of Directors of the Borscht Belt Museum. They are concerned that it is the Sabbath for the Jewish population. They are correct but this is NOT a religious festival. It's to commemorate the Hotels, Bungalow Colonies (off which my grandparents were one of) , the entertainers etc. While a lot of Jewish folks spent their summers here it should not be about one religious group (BTW I am Jewish). Did they research how many people of all religions would come versus how many Jewish folks would not. I guess research isn't in their vocabulary.
In addition to article 6.....People want to go home on Sunday. They are not interested in hanging out until 4:00 and then go sit in traffic. We lost much needed business because of that.
Back to the fairy and the angel. Remember them in (see article 1.) When they were walking around blowing bubbles their bubbles got on a vendors clothes she was selling and left quite a few stains that can't be removed. Fairys and Angels!! Screams Borscht Belt to me! Not!!

In closing I have spoke to many vendors that have already decided that if things don't change they won't be back. I am also one of them. I can't afford to do festivals that are not done correctly. I've been doing these since the mid 70's and I can say without a doubt that this was the absolute worst. Shame on them and shame on Andrew Jacobs for his misleading quotes in the Journal.

Brian Weinstein

Ellenville