Source: City of Durham / City Of Durham
Booking agent Christopher Weeks has signed a legal agreement to repay the City of Durham $37,000 following his failure to provide the musical artist Monica to perform at the 2024 Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival last month.
Weeks, who admitted he owed the money in the June 10 agreement with the City, has paid an initial $5,000, and will make 10 additional payments of $3,200, starting July 2024 until April 2025, when the total amount would be paid in full.
The City contracted Weeks for $45,000 in January to secure headline talent for Bimbé, a free, annual festival that has been held in the city for 54 years. In the months following, Weeks assured the City’s parks and recreation department, which hosts the event, that the entertainer was secured. The City paid Weeks in installments according to the contract and then began promoting Monica as the headline act. The City’s payments totaled $37,000, with the final payment of $8,000 to be paid after the festival.
After the festival, which happened despite the absence of a headline act, the City began immediate collection efforts by sending two demand letters, dated May 23 and May 24. Those demand letters culminated in Weeks signing the repayment agreement.
“While I am disappointed that we didn’t have a headline performer for this historic and much cherished festival, I am satisfied that the City will be repaid,” said City Manager Wanda Page.
The City is taking steps to determine how to best prevent a similar situation with a vendor from occurring in the future.
Source: PEO Productions / PEO Productions
