#fixitfairgrounds

To Whom it may concern

I am reaching out to you in the hopes that something can be done not only to save our show scheduled for the Fairgrounds expo center October 1-2  but for any others that may have received the same treatment we experienced.  Hopefully you can help right this wrong.  We are getting the runaround, mistruths (even when we have copies of emails and messages backing us up) and horrible communication from everyone concerned.  Here is the story.

I am a founding member of the Nashville Exotic Pet Club and have been manager of the Nashville Exotic Pet Expo for the last several years.    Our non profit club has held it’s twice annual fundraising events at the fairgrounds longer than I can even remember (20 plus years).  We were in the old buildings for several years, staying loyal to the fairgrounds in less than ideal facilities and were thrilled when the new expo center was built.  So proud to have such a beautiful facility built for those of us that can’t afford to go downtown but still want to host and attend unique, fun and educational events, where the admission is usually reasonable and the parking is the best rate in town.  Our events are family friendly, educational exotic pet expos where we have wonderfully talented vendors who raise quality pets and educate about their care.  We have vendors with animal related feed and supplies and who work from expo to expo to make animal oriented crafts and merchandise. The club also plans animal interactive educational talks scheduled throughout the weekend.  The fairgrounds workers say ours is one of their favorite shows.  We are fun and very family friendly and have kept our admission prices at $2 to keep it affordable for all, especially kids, who need to be educated about the care of pets BEFORE they every bring one home.  We try to cover the fairgrounds costs with vendor fees (which we keep lower than most so our vendors can still afford to come) and admissions then donate all monies brought in over costs to various animal organizations in need.  We are run totally by volunteers and club members and do not make any money ourselves from these expos.  We have grown each and every year and now have quite a following attracting new vendors and repeat vendors from all over the United States.  We have had a GREAT relationship with the fairgrounds folks to this point and have never had any issues.  Our dates for the April and October shows have been pre booked and on the fairgrounds calendar now for the last 5 years through October 2023.  We had a weekend attendance of 10,000+ at our last April show (even with some Covid remnants remaining)  and expected our attendance to continue growing as we got ready for the October 1-2 upcoming event.  NOTHING was brought up at our April show to indicate that our October show might have a conflict or be in peril in any way.  Fliers and posters were up all over that venue advertising the next upcoming show with the October 1-2 dates so the vendors and public could plan ahead. 

In preparing for these shows we have our dates posted and advertised everywhere online (Facebook @Nashville Exotic Pet Expo returns October 1-2, 2022) and in various social media and publications starting two years in advance.  We have national shows that even schedule around our expo.  The majority of our larger vendors attend other scheduled shows on most other weekends and the Nashville show is a destination many say is the biggest in the southeast and should not be missed.  Many of the smaller vendors prepare from end of one show to the beginning of the next.   Hotels are booked far in advance, other shows are passed up and plans are made including, but not limited to, even setting their animal breeding cycles to coincide with our expo so they will have healthy animals available.  Vet checks and vaccinations are all planned out to make sure all their animals are healthy and ready for the Nashville dates.  Supplies and merchandise are made and ordered to have enough on hand for the crowds we draw.  We try very hard to give our vendors and the public a great expo.

Two weeks ago, 45 days before our upcoming show, and with over 100 vendors already booked I received an email from Carla Miller, director of Event services.    This email said apparently there is suddenly a scheduling conflict with our show and we need to reschedule.  A show that has been held at the fairgrounds for 20+ years and on their calendar for 4 of those years now has to be rebooked because they have booked a multi weekend event.  No mention of it in April or prior to that email.  All of our previous shows including our April show we would sign contracts  when they sent them to us.  NEVER have we backed out or been late with the contracts or deposits and never have they even mentioned a change in this process as we have always waited until they sent them to us and signed them right away.  Normally that was the month or even weeks before.  We trusted them and never thought it to be an issue.  When they said our promised dates were unavailable they offered us another weekend but said we can no longer have October 1-2, just 45 days away.   We have advertising out all over the place, we have vendors who have made plans and reservations, we have volunteers all lined up to work, and we have had absolutely no warning except to insinuate  “sorry, but your local non profit club is not important to us when more money is possible”.   Was this even mentioned in April when we filled the parking lots and encouraged all of those fine folks to return October 1-2 to do it all again?  Something is not fair.   Something is not right.  After receiving this email we immediately tried to meet with Carla and Laura, having to work also around our own work schedules, but it appears neither or both could not make the times we had available.   I have also emailed the mayor, and all the fair board members but have not heard anything in return.  I apologize for having to bring it to you but we are hoping something can be done to salvage our show on our chosen dates or at the least to make sure this does not happen to anyone else.  

Thank you for taking the time to read this email and I hope it answers some of your questions.  Brendan, as the president of our club, will gladly speak with you about any other questions and can be reached at the number listed below.   We are unfortunately under a time crunch as we will have to let the word out soon to our vendors and the public we can reach that our expo possibly won’t happen.  We also have been in contact with Danielle from Intergalactic Beadshows (who said she will be more than happy to speak with you at Info@beadshows.com). who had almost the exact thing pulled on her as another longtime vendor and cancellation without notice.   We have since found others.  I don’t know how many others there may be but I am sure more could surface.  And this whole time NO ONE will say who it is they booked in our place.  Nothing is on the calendar and nothing has been said.

We will be looking forward to any help you can give or even just a response with your opinion or advice is welcome. 

Sincerely,

Deborah Dorsey, manager of the Nashville Exotic Pet Expo
Email:   GreyHaven@comcast.net
Facebook @Nashville Exotic Pet Expo returns October 1-2, 2022 (18,000+ followers)
Website @  www.NashvilleExoticPet.com
#FixitFairgrounds

Brendan Reynolds, president of the Nashville Exotic Pet Club
(615)268-1251