Mayor Scott Fadness takes issue with assertion that the City of Fishers ended funding for the Fishers Freedom Festival because the event does not “fall within the city’s vision.”

In the news release issued by the Fishers Freedom Festival late Wednesday night, the festival board said the following: “In 2017, the city provided $45,000 and in-kind services. This August, the mayor and City Council decided to discontinue all funding, including in-kind staff service support, stating that the festival partnership does not fall within their city’s vision.”

The mayor is taking issue with that statement.  “I think that is a misrepresentation of what I think the conversation was about,” Mayor Fadness tells LarryInFishers.  “We’ve had lots of dialogue with the Fishers Freedom Festival about maybe evolving their event, or continue to adapt just like our city continues to adapt.  It was not in any way about ‘I don’t believe we should have festivals’ – nothing could be further from the truth.”

The mayor says any assertion that he doesn’t think events like the Freedom Festival and the parade should be a part of the local landscape is “wholly inaccurate.”

The mayor went on to say this – “I do take exception to their representation of my stance on this.  I think traditions and tradition building in our city is critical.”

The mayor envisions food and culinary components as part of the 2018 festival.  He wants to continue the traditions of offering entertainment, the parade and a fireworks display.  He wants to keep those traditions and add on to those offerings as the city evolves.

“It’s taking on the best of the tradition and adding on and supplementing…..as we evolve as a city and have new interests that these would be incorporated into it,” Mayor Fadness said.  “I think all those things are on the table and in the coming months we’re going to work hard, continue the tradition of a community festival that embraces who we used to be and who we are now and who we are hoping to be in the future.”

Mayor Fadness also expressed his gratitude to all the volunteers that helped with the festival in the past.

City Councilman Brad DeReamer said during a podcast recorded November 9th that the 2018 festival will take place at Holland Park and the downtown area simultaneously.