Fall Fest hinders local businesses

“We haven’t met the minimum to open our doors since last Wednesday.” Business owner Hector Salvatierre says his business is hindered by Cathedral City’s first Fall Fest. “I think its a great, great event for the city of Cathedral City to bring families out here. It does bring exposure, but that exposure doesn’t help if you cut the access to the restaurants,” said Salvatierre. The entrance at Cathedral Canyon Dr. and Avenue Lalo Guerrero are blocked off for the Fall Fest. Salvatierre says customers are cancelling reservations, he hasn’t been able to receive deliveries from his food suppliers and he didn’t even get his trash picked up because of the road closure. “It was poor planning on the city when they did a layout to this. It was agreed back in May and we’ve had numerous festivals, and this problem has been approached to the city by myself. Some things have changed, but this is the worst. This is inhibiting 80 percent of my business from coming here,” said Salvatierre. Cathedral City’s Communication and Events Manager, Chris Parman, says he feels the city has done everything to accommodate the restaurant’s guests. “We have made the closest parking lanes to their businesses dedicated to only them. Plus the city has put out signs showing people exactly how to get to those locations. They have complete ADA ramps to get up to it,” said Parman. As for the blocked off road, Parman says its safety protocol. The city’s 35th anniversary festival will also be held in that same downtown area. Parman says the same streets are expected to be blocked off.