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Three arts festivals kicked off Friday in and around Shadyside — two were bustling with patrons, the third nearly deserted in the afternoon.

This is the first year for the Shadyside Summer Arts Festival's new location at Reizenstein Middle School in East Liberty. Show promoter Ed D'Alessandro has been running the arts festival for 32 years, previously on Ellsworth Avenue and Walnut Street in Shadyside, where this weekend's other festivals are taking place.

The Reizenstein site is new, and some vendors and artists complained yesterday that they were misled to believe that the festival was part of the popular shows held in Shadyside, which typically draw more than 150,000 people. With not many people in the Reizenstein field yesterday, a handful of artists and vendors were so angry that they packed up their booths and left.

Some went home, and others were welcomed by the Ellsworth Business Association to join the Arts on Ellsworth show.

Not every artist is packing up, however. About 10 booths remained open in the afternoon at Reizenstein, and three food vendors kept their stands operating.

D'Alessandro said he hopes for a better turnout this weekend. He remained optimistic yesterday that more patrons would show up last night and throughout the weekend. The show is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

"I'll be here," he said. "We're putting on the music, the demonstrations, the artists."

Beth, David and Dennis Neese paid $800 to set up their kettle-corn booth at the Shadyside Summer Arts Festival in the field of Reizenstein Middle School. Five hours after the festival began at 11 a.m., they had sold only two bags at $3 each.

The Neeses said they feel cheated.

"We all thought we'd be on Ellsworth," Dennis Neese said.

Scott Loye drove 22 hours from Weatherford, Texas, with his funnel-cake stand. He was organizing artists and vendors — who paid between $100 and $3,000 for event space — to determine if they should stick around for the rest of the weekend. Many artists were able to transfer to the Ellsworth festival, but there was no space for Loye and fellow food vendors.

Some vendors were so angry they decided to call the police, but D'Alessandro didn't commit any crime that they could see, Neese said. D'Alessandro has a permit to operate from the school property.

"I'm not defrauding anybody," D'Alessandro said. "We've done this for 32 years, and I'm proud of everything I've done."

Some patrons seemed as confused as show participants.

"We saw people pull up in cars and leave," said Gil Thorton, a beef-jerky vendor who drove from Silver Spring, Md. to participate in the festival. "They can't understand what's going on, and neither can we. And we paid to be here."

Amy Waidman, of Columbus, Ohio, and a friend walked through the show after visiting the Walnut Street Arts Fair and the Arts on Ellsworth.

"We just came from the other shows — the real ones," Waidman said. "This is kind of disappointing. I feel bad for the artists."

Dan Gaser, a photographer from Carrick, wasn't part of the crowd that "panicked and packed up." He said he plans on staying at the festival all weekend and, even with a low turnout yesterday afternoon, he had sold a few of his prints. Gaser said he isn't interested in trying to switch to the Ellsworth show.

"This is where I said I would be for the weekend, and this is where I will stay," he said.

Thorton, one of the food vendors, said he plans to stick it out, too — at least through today. He and other vendors said they hope business will pick up over the weekend, when people don't have to work.

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