14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Area residents react to cancellation of Thunderfest

By Jasmin Embers - bio | email
Posted by Noah Stubbs - email

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - Will canceling Thunderfest this year hurt its chances of making a come back next year?

Thunderfest organizers say they partly blame the economy for the cancellation with people cutting back on events like Thunderfest.

Thousands attended Thunder on the Ohio for the last 30 years, but organizers say there will be no festival this year.

A past fest-goer Dan Dollison says, "I heard somebody say if they miss this year they won't be back but the truth of that nobody knows."

Nobody except Thunderfest Chairman Tom Sawyer, who tells 14 News the committee does not expect the event to completely disappear because of this year's cancellation.

Some believe the rising ticket prices and new rules made people lose interest.

Past event goer James Woods says, "The no cooler rule you know how they charge for buttons, it should just be kind of an open party, the city should pay for it maybe somehow."

Organizers say after the hydroplane races were canceled earlier this month and no artists agreed to jump on board, the event would not have lasted on vendors and ticket sales alone.

Sawyer says a lot of people are cutting back on entertainment events and according to Sawyer, this year's cancellation proves it.

Dollison says, "The first time I went I paid five dollars and it's gone up every year since then. Last year it was twenty dollars, I believe it's a little costly and it's a bad economy so people are hanging on to their money."

Organizers say sponsorship for the event this year dropped dramatically and economically it just didn't make sense to go forward with the event.

Dollison says, "The big boats not being here has a lot to do with it, people want to come and see Thunder on the Ohio, it's as simple as that."

In the meantime the organizing committee plans to meet next week to brainstorm some ideas on what kinds of smaller events can raise money to bring Thunderfest back next year.

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