A local event promoter has left a string of unpaid bills over this year’s Kootenay Country Music Festival.

Travis Pangburn’s company has gone under, leaving the Pass Creek Exhibition Society in the lurch. President Donna Smith says they’re out about $3,300 in meals prepared for the entertainers.

Smith says last year Pangburn paid all his bills promptly so they didn’t expect any difficulties this year.

“It went over extremely well the first year and we were paid without any problems, so we didn’t think there would be a problem this year,” she says. “You took it on trust that the first year was successful and everybody was paid and you expected it to grow and prosper, so that’s what you went on.”

Smith says she’s emailed Pangburn several times but doesn’t expect to ever see the money.

“I’ve sent him four emails with the invoices, pretty well every month. I sent the first right after the music festival was completed and he said ‘Yup, I’ll get you paid right away.’ I emailed again. I thought maybe because he was working overseas there was a time lag. Unfortunately, we never got paid.”

She says what happened is unfortunate but she doesn’t think he deliberately misled them.

“It was a big hit to our budget, which is unfortunate, but it’s even more unfortunate that the music festival didn’t pan out for whatever financial reason.”

Trowelex rentals is also reportedly out about $20,000, in addition to other creditors.