It is with sadness and regret that we must announce the postponement of the Cape Fear Italian Festival III. It is a decision that comes after much debate and consideration, and one that is reached with heavy hearts.

When the idea for the Cape Fear Italian Festival hatched a couple of years ago, we knew there would be great challenges moving forward. In the two years since we have learned a lot about running an event of this nature, including what makes a successful festival as well as the many obstacles that wait around seemingly every corner along the way.

The biggest challenge, of course, is making sure the resources are there to run the festival and fulfill our goal of giving as much money as possible to the Brunswick Community College Foundation for student scholarships. We undertook this challenge in very difficult financial times, yet thanks to the tireless efforts of an all-volunteer staff which never profited a dime from the festival, devoted sponsors and tireless vendors, the Cape Fear Italian Festival managed to give more than $13,000 in two years to the BCC Foundation and Step up for Soldiers.

Now, though, as the festival reaches a point where it needs to grow and evolve, we find the festival without those necessary resources. Sponsorship dollars are nearly non-existent, and those that are available don’t add up to the level we believe is necessary to continue the Cape Fear Italian Festival as it has been, let alone taking it to the next level.

We are not alone in this problem. Obviously all of us, personally and professionally, have been affected by the recession. And as we all cut back to the necessities, festivals and similar events across the country with a far longer history must scale back as people spend less on extras. The ones that continue are often backed not just by history, but by governments, churches and strong corporate support. Unfortunately, our model has none of that, making our endeavor nearly impossible.

While the Cape Fear Italian Festival will not take place this fall, it does not mean the event and the organization are gone for good. We firmly believe in our mission to help send students to school, and our partnership with BCC is as strong as ever. We hope someday soon to announce a new date for the Cape Fear Italian Festival III. In the meantime, we will continue our charity poker tournaments to continue raising money for student scholarships. For more information, visit CapeFearItalianFestival.com.

Again, thanks to all of you who have supported the Cape Fear Italian Festival and especially to those of you who will continue to support it.

We look forward to you joining us again soon.

Sincerely,

Cape Fear Italian Festival, Inc., Executive Board