Tuesday's Arts in the Park concert turned into a true testament of the arts credo, "The show must go on!”

It is still unclear, though, how Arts in the Park will continue.

Headlining jazz singer Fawn Fritzen and her accompanying pianist Marg Tatam performed their sound check shortly before noon, with the help of organizer Steve Slade.

Rain was sprinkling down, but seats had been set out under the big red tent in LePage Park with room for the growing audience. As the clock struck noon, everyone took their seats.

The crowd waited for Fritzen to begin, but Slade suddenly stood and announced the show was off.

"I have talked to Fawn and Marg, but I'm afraid I have no choice but to cancel the show,” he said.

Slade explained briefly that disagreements among Music Yukon, which runs the summer concert series at LePage Park, the City of Whitehorse, and the Yukon Historical and Museums Association (YHMA) had erupted into a last-minute showdown.

The usually jovial Slade grumbled that he had to walk away and end the show.

It wasn't immediately clear who did or said what to get the show cancelled, but Slade promptly began putting away his speakers, amplifiers and electrical equipment, leaving Fritzen and Tatam in front of the crowd of about 60 people.

The duo agreed the show must go on, and they performed an acoustic set over the lunch hour with their own equipment.

Fritzen had to project her voice without the use of a microphone, and the excited children in the audience were asked to keep quiet, dampening the air of juvenile excitement.

Arts in the Park, a summer concert series in its 16th year, offers concerts every weekday, rain or shine, from May through August. It has a dedicated following of regular attendees of all ages and walks of life.

About an hour after Tuesday's show, Music Yukon executive director Steve Gedrose was trying to figure out what the future of Arts in the Park might be.

It turns out the whole debate centres around a falafel vendor.

"Like most of these types of things, it comes down to a lack of communication,”said Gendrose. "We want to talk it over with YHMA.”

YHMA executive director Tracey Anderson said Tuesday she has received complaints from Slade that the falafel vendor she hired causes "too much noise.”

"It causes too much talking and commotion, which is what I've been told by Mr. Slade, but I've not heard any complaints from the public,” said Anderson.

The museum association leases LePage Park from the City of Whitehorse, and does not charge Arts in the Park to use it for the daily summer concerts.

"We need income to continue the upkeep and cleaning of the park, so we hired this food vendor to help with that,” Anderson said.

She hired two food vendors last year, she said, and she hadn't heard any complaints until recently, when she renewed a vendor contract for a man who assembles falafels on a cart.

"This has been brewing for quite a bit, and it just came to a head today,” said Gendrose.

Music Yukon and YHMA were scheduled to meet Friday to come to an agreement about how Arts in the Park can continue in LePage Park.

In the meantime, Gendrose said he would be speaking to this week's scheduled performing artists to decide what kind of show to put on.

This week's scheduled artists include Soir de Semaine, Kevin Barr, Keitha Clarke and Kate Weekes, who sits on Music Yukon's board of directors.

Gedrose guessed the rest of the week's shows may be acoustic, but said people should continue to attend, as the show must go on.

Anderson agrees.

"We love Arts in the Park; it is an awesome program,” she said. "We are committed to working with Music Yukon to keep it up and running.”

Fritzen said she has been promised another show date later in the summer, this time with a microphone and speakers.

Gendrose, Anderson, and the performing artists involved all seem to agree that aside from personal conflicts over food vendors, the show must go on.

The rest of the summer concert series is expected to be staged as planned, said Gedrose.