After 40 years throwing one of the biggest annual outdoor festivals in the Midwest, the International Eelpout Festival, scheduled for Feb. 20-23, has been canceled.
The surprisingannouncementwas made Thursday, with Festival officials explaining the reason for the cancellation is an impasse with the county about how to properly enforce rules on Leech Lake as festival attendance continues to grow.
"It’s with a heavy heart we announce the cancelation of the International Eelpout Festival for this season. Over the years, attendance has multiplied substantially. Each year with more attendees, equals – more traffic, more trash and more safety concerns. After trying to work with the county for the past 5 months to develop a solution for this year’s event, we have come to an impasse on lake enforcement," the announcement reads.