Providence Puerto Rican festival canceled over unpaid fees

By: The Associated Press

news@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) _ The Puerto Rican Cultural Festival and Parade later this month in Providence has been canceled because organizers haven’t paid nearly $17,000 in fees to the city.

The Providence Journal reports that the festival cancellation was announced Friday after city officials declined to grant a permit because of the unpaid police and park fees.

A city ordinance bans groups from getting permits if they are more than 60 days late in paying for police or fire details. City officials say the festival group owes about $14,300 for past police details and nearly $2,500 in parks fees.

There has been a Puerto Rican festival in the city every summer since 1984.

The president of the festival group says she’s in talks with officials in Central Falls to hold the festival there.

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