The Fishers Freedom Festival will cease holding the summer festival, with the 2017 event the final one to be run by the nonprofit organization that has operated the festival since 1989.
In a news release issued by the festival late Wednesday night, the committee said, ” it (is) with great sadness that the Fishers Freedom Festival announces the immediate ceasing of the Fishers Freedom Festival event held annually that celebrates Independence Day.”
The City of Fishers, and the town government before that, had always financially supported the festival. However, the Fishers City Council formed a committee to take a hard look at city’s financial support of all local tax-exempt organizations. The Freedom Festival applied for continued cash and in-kind help from the city, but the committee did not include the festival and the full City Council passed a budget for 2018 without support for the Freedom Festival.
“We are very proud of the Fishers Freedom Festival’s positive community impact that contributed to Fishers’ overall quality of life,” said Festival Board President Don Dragoo, in a news release from the festival. “The decision to terminate the Fishers Freedom Festival was made after many considerations, but is unavoidable due to financial circumstances. We want to sincerely thank all of our past sponsors, donors, vendors, residents, city staff and volunteers that have supported us over the past 29 years.”
The festival committee says the city provided $45,000 of in-kind services (police, fire, parks, public works and other departments) during the 2017 festival, and annual cash support was $85,000. In the release, the festival said it would not be able to fill the financial gap to hold the event in 2018.
According to the news release, it appears the festival committee will continue to support two other events it has been connected with in the past. The annual Fishers Oktoberfest event will be entirely operated by Saxony with Freedom Festival volunteer support. The Christmas in October Craft Fair will be run by Fishers Freedom Festival volunteers alongside the Fishers High School Riley Dance Marathon Club, who will eventually take over the craft fair.
When the announcement was made in August releasing the list of groups to receive city support, and the Fishers Freedom Festival was not on that list, the City of Fishers released the following statement August 31st. “If the Fishers Freedom Festival Committee chooses not to host the Festival next year, the City will fill that void. The City remains committed to bringing residents together by carrying on traditions such as the parade and others our residents love.”
Some city officials have expressed interest in holding the event itself, moving most of the activities from Holland Park to the downtown municipal complex.