The ultimate Texas feud: Two country music festivals face off for same weekend

Who doesn’t love a real life country music throw-down hoedown? Austin, Texas is now the home to one of the biggest country music festival feuds we’ve seen in recent history. Even if you don’t like country music, this is some legal drama you need to be informed about.

According to Austin360, Driftwood Music Festival announced Monday that it is no longer pursuing its plans for a festival at the Salt Lick Pavilion on April 19-22, 2018. Why has Driftwood stopped? Another country music festival in Austin, Old Settler’s Music Festival, filed a lawsuit resulting in an injunction against Driftwood last month, which stops Driftwood from booking artists or talking to promoters.

The lawsuit filed against Driftwood was founded on the basis that if the country music festival were to take place, it would cause irreparable fiscal loss for Old Settler’s music festival. Do I have the non-country music listeners interested yet?

The reasons cited for the injunction make it even juicier.

1. The creators of Driftwood Music Festival were two former promoters from Old Settler’s Music Festival.
2. Old Settler’s Music Festival is moving locations, and Driftwood was supposed to occur in the old location, thus laying the foundation for #3.
3. Driftwood implied (on an email list serve for Old Settler’s!, no less!!!!) that it “is a continuation of a prior music festival.”
4. The new founders of Driftwood are accused of “using Old Settler’s Music Festival’s confidential information and trade secrets, including but not limited to, any lists or identities of volunteers or paid workers”
5. There’s some sneaky handshake business going on with the property owner of the festival locations because apparently in Texas, instead of signing legal documents, you just shake on it*.

As of now, it looks as though Old Settler’s Music Festival is going to come out on top in this legal duel. Driftwood may occur in the Salt Lick location at a later date.

Who do you think is in the right? Let us know on Twitter.

*Editor’s Note: A verbal contract is generally legally binding and enforceable for up to one year after the deal is agreed upon.

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