PHARR, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Business owners in the downtown Pharr area say a popular city festival is doing more harm than good for their businesses.

The Avocado Festival is a yearly community event held in the city's downtown area.

Junction Cafe owner Chris Fong, who has been in business for 35 years, says this event began as a way to revive the city. However, she says, a few years ago, things started to take a turn as the festival kept expanding its road closures.

Fong says that although the event is only held for a single day, the road closures typically last about four days, preventing customers from entering any local businesses in the area, causing them to close.

Brittany Ramirez, Fong's granddaughter, said their employees suffer the consequences, going days without pay.

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