More than two months after the event, at least one vendor who participated in September’s World of Bluegrass Festival in Chattanooga was waiting on payment as the organizer wrestled with state funding.
Carla Pritchard, the owner of Chattanooga Presents, said Thursday her company had not yet been paid, but she expects the International Bluegrass Music Association, which put on the event, will ultimately resolve the issue.
“We absolutely loved working with IBMA this year, and I really don’t want to say anything negative about that organization as they got their footing this first year,” she said in an email.
Pritchard said her understanding is the delayed payment has to do with a state grant that was set aside to help fund the event in Chattanooga. Pritchard said she’s had her own experiences getting a grant from the state. It’s always a welcome and helpful source of support, she said, but government funding doesn’t always come quickly or within an ideal time frame.