News

Actions

Hard landing: Evel Knievel Days canceled

Posted at 3:32 PM, Apr 23, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-23 17:32:54-04

BUTTE – The festival dedicated to the “King of the Daredevils” has been officially canceled this year after being an annual event for the last 15 years.

This summer’s three-day Evel Knievel Days festival has been canceled due to lack of funding, according to a statement released by the festival’s organizers. The festival was set for July 26-28, but organizers were unable to raise the $200,000 needed to hold the festival this year.

Festival organizers claim they were unable to get local sponsorships and donations to help cover the costs of the festival.

“Asking local businesses to shoulder multiple major events within a few weeks of each other is unfair and unsustainable. Evel Knievel Daredevil Days is the latest victim of this unfortunate reality,” according to a statement from the event organizers received by email to KXLF Monday.

Last year, the festival lost $100,000 in funding from the Superfund Advisory and Redevelopment Trust Advisory board and only received $25,000 like Butte’s other free festivals.

Evel Knievel Days were started in 2002 but went through an organizational change in 2014 after having a dispute with Evel Knievel’s son, Kelly Knievel.

Butte’s other free summer festival, the Montana Folk Festival, and An Ri Ra Irish Festival will continue as scheduled.