If the community is making that much off the visitors, then they can get together to get a couple large dumpsters and make a nice donation to the local Boy Scouts and have them pick up the trash and earn a sanitation badge.
Not sure there is boy scouts around here, Walker is only 950 ish people…many of those are retirees. I’m sure Walker will survive just fine w/o eelpout.
We live here and have been going for too many years to admit too. Some years staying on the ice other just a trip over for the day. Things have changed a lot and so has the crowd to some extent. We have been seeing the righting on the wall for a few years and kind of expected it. They do use the local youth hockey to help cleanup as well as other organizations. Last year was a huge mess with a lot of issues due to the flooding and excessive snow etc… Used to see way more home made vehicles and camps now more wheel houses than anything, lots of cruising around. It will be a hit to the local economy to some extent. I have buttons going back to the 3rd and 4th for sure, should have seen some of our camps from way back then, everything from plywood and canvas to ice houses, then we moved up tot a big 20 x 10 tent and thought we were big time, Now not so much. Miss the polar plunge as well. One or our electricians holds the record for how long in the water 2 min 45 seconds before they forced him out. Lots of antifreeze in that guy!! We will miss it.
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So does rosy.
Hopefully there will be enough ice for the Jaycees. It’s ridiculous that Walker isn’t getting involved to help this situation. For the most part, the Eelpout festival is similar to the extravaganza, it just needs local partnership. They’re missing out on a fundraising opportunity that could be huge.
Never been there and wanted to go this year after hearing about it over and over the last 10 yrs. Bummer…
This is very similar to Sturgis. At first it was a group of locals getting together. It then grew and for years out of towers camped in the city park way exceeding its design capacity. Sturgis then shut it down and entrepreneurs picked up the ball and have been making money ever since.
This may happen with this fest, but it’s going to be private businesses that have to step in and organize. Municipalities these days want their cake and eat it too. They want the revenue without being liable or having expenditures.
Most of the revenue is made by out of town vendors. They come in, make their money and leave. Then the town gets to clean up the mess left behind
Most of the revenue is made by out of town vendors. They come in, make their money and leave. Then the town gets to clean up the mess left behind
Most of the revenue? I highly doubt that. What out of town vendors?
I meant Sturgis there. As far as Eelpout, it simply outgrew itself. The weather the last few years didn’t help either. Conditions this year aren’t looking very good either, it’s a mess out there
I’d bet we see Eelpout Fest moving to Lake Bemidji or a similar area in the near future…
Didn’t the Eelpout fest try to go to Bemidji 2 years ago and Bemidji said, no way?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>
I’d bet we see Eelpout Fest moving to Lake Bemidji or a similar area in the near future…Didn’t the Eelpout fest try to go to Bemidji 2 years ago and Bemidji said, no way?
I didn’t recall that, so a quick google search showed The Bemidji City Council opposed it, but it would have been up to the county. I only visited Pout Fest a couple times during the day so I don’t really care one way or the other, but seems like a great opportunity for some community to have 10k+ visitors for a weekend. The Trash issue sure seems like it should be easily resolved, a little proactive placement of dumpsters and one year of the Sheriff billing the people who leave the messes would probably resolve most of the problem, and raise plenty of revenue for the Sheriff’s department.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>super_do wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>
I’d bet we see Eelpout Fest moving to Lake Bemidji or a similar area in the near future…Didn’t the Eelpout fest try to go to Bemidji 2 years ago and Bemidji said, no way?
The Trash issue sure seems like it should be easily resolved, a little proactive placement of dumpsters and one year of the Sheriff billing the people who leave the messes would probably resolve most of the problem, and raise plenty of revenue for the Sheriff’s department.
I agree. To make it easier, section off the lake area like a camp ground and bill/fine the people who left a mess in their area.
I agree. To make it easier, section off the lake area like a camp ground and bill/fine the people who left a mess in their area.
From what I read the Festival did that, and took responsibility for cleaning it up. However a lot of people setup just outside of the sectioned off area and left a terrible mess. That’s where the DNR or Sheriff should come thru and mark each house on Saturday, and send bills to any areas not cleaned up on Monday.
“Last year during the festival, the ice flooded then froze, freezing trucks, fish houses and everything else into the ice over one night.
Cass County spent $11,675, according to Administrator Joshua Stevenson, to help people get their equipment off the ice. The county was not reimbursed by either the event promoter or those whose equipment froze in the ice.”
taken from an article in the Brainerd Dispatch, might explain a lot
From Today’s Pionerr Press:
‘Frozen Block Party’ to replace Eelpout Festival
WALKER, Minn. — Only days after the International Eelpout Festival’s unexpected cancellation earlier this month, Chase on the Lake Resort announced an alternative replacement with plans to host Walker’s first Frozen Block Party.
In a Facebook post on Jan. 6, the Chase announced the event, which is scheduled for Feb. 20-22, and described it as “a mid-winter celebration in a great little town.”
The three-day party is expected to include an ice bar, cold drinks and live entertainment from the Johnny Holm Band and Outside Recess, among others.
“Come see fantastic live entertainment… and check out our cool ice bar under the Big Top on 5th Street North and in The 502 at Chase on the Lake Resort,” the post said.
A Beer Pong Tournament is also scheduled for the weekend. Participants must register to compete, and both first- and second-place winners take home cash prizes.
Additionally, rideshare drivers will be available throughout the weekend to transport guests to and from the event.
The Frozen Block Party comes after concern was raised that the Eelpout Festival’s cancellation would hurt local businesses during an already slow time of year for Walker.
When the Eelpout Festival — which annually attracted more than 10,000 attendees to the small Minnesota town for four days in February — was unexpectedly canceled on Jan. 2, its organizer cited costs and an “impasse on lake enforcement” as factors for the event’s indefinite postponement.
However, the Star Tribune reported Chase still “(planned) to go ahead with its commitments for live entertainment during what would have been the long festival weekend” and was “working with the city to get the permits to move its events onshore.”
And in its Facebook post announcing the new event, Chase acknowledged its success: “A huge shout out (to) the City of Walker for allowing us to move our permit to set up in the streets of Downtown and start Walker’s first Annual Frozen Block Party.”
More details on the Frozen Block Party will be released on its Facebook event page as plans continue to be finalized.
Life is good!
I’m in. 
I’ll drink to that!
From Today’s Pionerr Press:
‘Frozen Block Party’ to replace Eelpout Festival
Jon,
You should’ve made mention of the “other” happening that weekend, also an effort to replace or substitute for the “uncontrollable” portion of the official Eelpout Festival that was officially cancelled. 
This too is circulating around FB and this one looks to be “outside the boundaries” of controlled behavior. 
For those that FB…
http://www.facebook.com/events/543576252902514/
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Google >>> top 10 animal house quotes
All apply! 
-J.
I assumed people were just gonna go and do their thing any way. The “private” tents trading booze for “donations” make for a darn good party anyway.
However, given what I’ve heard the last few years, I wouldn’t be suprised if people rolled into town only to find a previously unannounced “emergency” driving ban ordered by the sheriff. Chase keeps their reservations, and the riff raff/trash is turned away.
Ok think of it this way. According to the media the county made it cost prohibitive to hold the event due to many things. so now the party is on shore sponsored by the same entity that found it too costly to do the lake event. Now everything is on shore and that entity has no responsibility as to what happens on the lake. Now hundreds show up to drive on the lake and park their wheel houses and build those same encampments with absolutely no infrastructure to support porta poties, trash removal and one thinks the issues will still not exist. All that has happened here is the entity that found it cost prohibitive to hold the event on the ice now has no responsibility for the masses and cleanup and shifted that to the city, county and DNR yet they still make their profits on the event. Am I the only one that sees an issue here? The entity that wants to make money including the city will make money and shift the cost of lake cleanup and enforcement to the county and DNR. Is that right? I am asking as I see it as an issue as big company that sponsors the event makes money while shifting the responsibility to others. Too much politics for me. I have attended the event for over 30 years, just my honest opinion. sorry!
Ok think of it this way. According to the media the county made it cost prohibitive to hold the event due to many things. so now the party is on shore sponsored by the same entity that found it too costly to do the lake event. Now everything is on shore and that entity has no responsibility as to what happens on the lake. Now hundreds show up to drive on the lake and park their wheel houses and build those same encampments with absolutely no infrastructure to support porta poties, trash removal and one thinks the issues will still not exist. All that has happened here is the entity that found it cost prohibitive to hold the event on the ice now has no responsibility for the masses and cleanup and shifted that to the city, county and DNR yet they still make their profits on the event. Am I the only one that sees an issue here? The entity that wants to make money including the city will make money and shift the cost of lake cleanup and enforcement to the county and DNR. Is that right? I am asking as I see it as an issue as big company that sponsors the event makes money while shifting the responsibility to others. Too much politics for me. I have attended the event for over 30 years, just my honest opinion. sorry!
Shifting responsibility??? You mean people shouldn’t pick up after themselves? The event coordinators NEVER had anything to do with the private tent cities out there. It’s actually backwards…the event people were having to pay for all the crap left behind in the non event areas…and you’ll probably witness that this year when with all the trash is left on the lake even though the event was on shore. How about we go after the people leaving the mess???
Won’t be any tent city out there this year unless something drastically changes. There are NO vehicles on the bay right now, nothing plowed and about 6 shacks out there (close to shore). I don’t know where everyone is going to park, but it’s not looking like it’s going to be on the lake. Another foot or so of snow fell last night also.
Mardi Gras of the north!
How about I host an IDO party at my house? Only 20 minutes to walker.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>belletaine wrote:</div>
Mardi Gras of the north!How about I host an IDO party at my house? Only 20 minutes to walker.
I’m in.
I know a crappie hot spot on Spider!
You to huh?
I’m kinda serious though, we could an ice fishing gtg up here.
Since I haven’t ever attended I’m guessing the access was at the boat launch in the park? If the city or DNR own the launch why couldn’t they just close it and kill access to the lake for the weekend.
No horse in the race but i’m all for keeping littering pigs off our water no matter if it’s frozen or soft water.
I have to assume the council speaks for the citizens /residents. If they don’t want the mess and enforcement issues I think they are right to oppose all of it. Either on land or water. After all, the pigs all get to leave when they sober up and the locals have to deal with whats left.
Will be very interesting to see how this turns out.
If the city or DNR own the launch why couldn’t they just close it and kill access to the lake for the weekend.
You say that too loud and pretty soon someone will want to do the same thing to stop the spread of invasive species.
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