By all metrics, this year’s first Middlelands festival was a resounding success. Unfortunately, the residents surrounding the Texas RenFest weren’t as pleased.
According to local news outlet KHOU, neighbors voiced their concerns about Middlelands Thursday during a town hall meeting.
Texas Renaissance Festival general manager Terre Albert said in a statement: 
“TRF is always looking for new ways to bring fun and magic to the Houston area, which is why we partnered with Insomniac, C3 Events and Live Nation, to create the Middlelands music festival on our grounds. Middlelands was a great success and brought over 60,000 people to the area from all over the country and the world. However, after a meeting with executive leadership and based on Texas Renaissance Festival’s overall mission, we have made the decision to not move forward in hosting the event again.”
It’s not clear or known for sure whether or not Insomniac and C3 signed a multi-year contract with Texas RenFair, though it is likely. So the outcome of this cancellation could have more far reaching consequences we’ve yet to see.
Either way, there are other Ren Fair sites in Texas, such as Scarborough, which is actually closer to Dallas than Todd Mission.
UPDATE: Pasquale Rotella, founder of Insomniac Events, has issued an official statement.
We were very surprised and disappointed by the decision announced by the Texas Renaissance Festival (TRF) to no longer host Middlelands (MDL) at the Texas Renaissance Festival Fair Grounds. From the beginning, MDL producers set out to create a safe and enjoyable experience for both attendees and residents in the surrounding neighborhoods, with hopes to stimulate the growing local economy. Contrary to news reports, the producers of MDL traveled to Houston for the Town Hall meeting but were subsequently told it was cancelled by TRF officials. We fully appreciate the beauty of Todd Mission and the nearby areas, and were prepared to implement residents’ feedback in order to transform MDL into a valued community event. An astounding 66,000 guests attended the inaugural MDL festival, with many sharing their positive experiences. To our fans, rest assured we plan to return.
Further comments from Pasquale Rotella here.
Image via Julian Cassady for Insomniac
