Some struggling to get refunds for postponed ‘Redmond Taco and Margarita Festival’

(Update: Adding video, comments from customers, fairgrounds, festival company)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Some would-be attendees at a Redmond taco festival said they have not received their refund, and are struggling to do so.

Alyssa Gano bought three tickets for the Redmond Taco and Margarita Festival, set for September 25th.

After community members online discovered negative reviews of the festival in other states, the Redmond event was postponed.

Gano said the refund process has been difficult.

“Impossible, to say the least,” Gano said.

Adam Dobres with AZ Food Festivals, the company running the events, said in an email: “We have refunded those who emailed us requesting a refund through Ticketbud. They need to contact their financial institution once we click the "Refund" button.”

Yet Gano and several other customers said it hasn’t been that simple, or really worked at all.

“There’s been a lot of back and forth,” Gano said. “They gave me a link, I went to that and put in my info for a refund with my confirmation number. Came back and said they can't do it. I said, ‘Well, why?’”

Gano says her father-in-law had no issue getting a refund, but she was told the person who was giving out refunds was doing it against policy and has now been fired.

“I've gone through like three different people at this point,” Gano said. 

Geoff Hinds, director at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds, said AZ Food Festivals agreed to giving full refunds.

“And if they don’t, we won’t be continuing our partnership with them into 2022,” Hinds said, 

The festival is rescheduled at the fairgrounds for August 20 of next year, and Hinds said they were hopeful another year would give them time to get things right.

“Also understanding it's certainly been a challenging year for labor to secure food vendors and other stuff, and maybe this just wasn’t the year to host this event,” Hinds said. 

But the latest refund issue could change that plan.

“Now, looking forward, if we are finding out that they’re not upholding their end of the deal and providing refunds, I think that’s certainly something we would revisit,” Hinds said.

Gano said it's not worth it either way, and she won't be attending next year. 

While several people say they had no issues getting a refund, Gano said she plans to take it up with her bank as a fraudulent charge.