Comedy festival packed Citadel Hill, but vendors say it didn't pay the bills | CBC News

Some food truck operators who worked at the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival in Halifax are calling for a boycott of the festival, saying they're owed thousands of dollars even as organizers are already selling tickets for next year.

Thousands of people packed Citadel Hill's Garrison Grounds from Aug. 6 to 9 to watch comedians including Matt Rife, Nikki Glaser and Fortune Feimster.

Trixstar, the production company behind the festival, hosts the same event in several cities across the country.

This was Michelle Kerfoot Bernava's fourth time working at the Halifax shows, which she said are usually a highlight of her summer. She drives her food truck, Mama K's, from Moncton, N.B., to take part.

But now she's one of three food truck owners who say they're owed a combined total of more than $60,000 — money they fear they will never see.

"Basically [the company] is saying don't contact us, we'll contact you when we have any information in regards to your account," Kerfoot Bernava said in an interview with CBC News.

In early September, Trixstar abruptly cancelled the festival in Mississauga, Ont., with just three days' notice, saying the decision was made after "careful consideration" and the event would be rescheduled.

Headliner John Mulaney confirmed in a Sept. 8 Facebook post that the decision came entirely from the producers.

"Red flags went off to me. Something's not right, something's going on," said Kerfoot Bernava, whose truck operated inside the festival's VIP area, where meal costs were included in the admission price.

Rather than collecting payment directly from customers, she said her contract called for the festival to keep 30 per cent of her sales and issue her payment for the rest within a day of receiving an invoice.

Kerfoot Bernava tracked her sales, which were nearly $29,000 over four days. But she said when her money still hadn't arrived weeks later, she told Trixstar it was in breach of contract, and she's now demanding the full amount.

"That amount of money can absolutely wipe out a small business, beyond a doubt," she said.