Montebello Rockfest is not dead

Outaouais Rock, the organization that operated the Montebello Rockfest, has distributed a news release indicating that it has filed for bankruptcy as of today.

Following this announcement, the founder of the festival and former minority partner of Outaouais Rock, Alex Martel, has published a statement indicating his intention to continue the festival.

The statement reads: Message from Alex Martel, founder of Rockfest:

Today, the Outaouais Rock organization, which headed Rockfest since 2008, declared bankruptcy. The end of this entity does not mean, however, the death of the festival that I founded at 17 and to which I devote myself body and soul.

Despite everyone’s efforts since the end of June – including KPMG, the former majority partners and myself – the rescue efforts of the organization have not yet borne fruit and the last possible extension of the yard has come to deadline.

Although I would have strongly preferred to find an alternative solution to the Bankruptcy Act, I must respect the decision that was made. I wish former majority partners, to whom I am no longer bound, the best of success in their future endeavors, and I respectfully thank them for their contributions to the festival over the past three years. I also accept to take my share of responsibility as a member of the former Board of Directors and I personally offer my sincerest apologies to those who have been affected by this unfortunate situation.

I find myself now free and alone at the controls. I regain control of my destiny as was the case for the first 10 editions. There is a lot of work to rebuild what I’ve built on new bases and repair broken pots, but I’m going to roll up my sleeves and continue with my head up.

I thank the long-standing staff of the festival who continues to follow me today in this adventure with loyalty, bands that have shown support and understanding through this difficult time despite the fact that some are affected (I’ll never forget it), as well as my family of faithful festival-goers who are always behind me and have made sense of my life.

It is for YOU that I will not give up; I will never take your support and your love for granted. I have always done it for passion and I will continue to do it for the right reasons without anyone being able to misrepresent my baby. My goal is to keep you having fun in Montebello every summer as it has been for 13 years now.

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Photo Credit:  Mikhail Bakunovich / Shutterstock.com