The Town of Windsor has canceled the park rental for the Wine Country Women's Festival, an event advertised for Keiser Park, and police are urging caution.
What happened
- Social media posts with AI-generated graphics began appearing July 31, promoting the festival for Nov. 7 or Nov. 14.
- A website sold 10-by-10-foot vendor spaces for $79, plus $132 "food truck partner" and $185 "Home & Garden Showcase Partner" tickets.
- The town received a rental application in July, and the organizer paid a deposit and submitted an insurance certificate for up to 1,500 people. The organizer then failed to pay the required fees this month and stopped answering calls and emails, said Parks and Recreation Director Olivia Lemen.
- The town has canceled the application but has not formally called the event a scam. Windsor police have received one fraud report and posted a public warning.
If you paid
Police are asking affected vendors to come forward. Windsor police urge residents to stay vigilant, verify information before sending money and report suspected fraud.