2022 Bright Community Festival Cancelled

The annual festival is the fire department's biggest fundraiser of the year.

(Bright, Ind.) – Inflation, number of volunteers and other burdens have resulted in the cancellation of the annual Bright Community Festival.

According to the Bright Fire Department, the Festival Committee reported increases of up to 40 percent in the cost of all purchased materials required to operate the festival.

“These costs could be passed through to community members who attends the festival. Placing this additional financial burden on our neighbors who are already facing the rising costs at the gas pumps, grocery stores and most other places does not feel like the right thing to do. This is creating a situation the department is not willing to put on those who support us every day and has led to the difficult decision to cancel the festival,” reads a statement released by the fire department.

Furthermore, Bright Fire and EMS has seen a decrease in their membership, while call volume responses have increased.

“The additional burdens have led to an increased amount of time volunteers must spend on activities and has taken them away from their families and other personal time. With the total stress of the times on our membership, the added effort it takes to put on the festival is just too much for our membership to shoulder this year.”

The Bright Community Festival is the main fundraiser for the fire department. Funds from the festival are generally used for equipment and personal protective gear for volunteers.

Bright Fire is hopeful that the Community Festival will return in 2023.