CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Hippie Festival attracted thousands of people last year, but this year the event set for May 6-7 weekend at the old Eastland Mall site was canceled.
The organizer cited concerns for public safety and malicious activity.
The news disappointed and outraged east Charlotte residents who have been trying to fight negative portrayals of Eastland.
"We don't want that being the stigma of east Charlotte," Darrell Bonapart, an east Charlotte community leader, said.
Bonapart lives next to the Eastland Mall site.
He's disappointed the organizer canceled the festival and disputes the notion that east Charlotte isn't a safe place to hold events.
"That's something we moved ourselves far from and we want to be sure we stay away from that," he said.
When asked what safety concerns prompted a cancellation, the organizer said he was worried about a recent alleged hate crime at a store about a mile away.
He also said since it's a free event, he couldn't afford to hire off-duty Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers.
All of this comes at a time when Eastland is trying to rebrand. Next month, potential developers will be there to check out the property.
Councilmember Dimple Ajmera is leading the Eastland Mall revitalization efforts. She said landing temporary uses like the Hippie Fest for the 80-acre site is critical for residents on the east side.
"My hope is to make Eastland a destination point all over again," she said. "Eastland is a huge asset for our city."
Ajmera and Bonapart want everyone to know the site is safe and ready to thrive.
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