Bayou sunk

 
The annual Bayou Boogie celebration has been canned.

Official with Grand Portage Lodge and Casino confirmed Monday that this year’s annual instalment of the event was cancelled. The Mardi Gras-style party that takes place just south of the border has been held at the casino every Labour Day weekend since 1992.

"We were just informed about the decision last week," said Nancy Ting, co-owners of the Bayou Barn in Crown Point, La.

"The casino decided that due to the economy it would be really hard to produce the festival this year. There were some other things that may have affected it, like the passport issue. All of us are hurting in our personal and business lives so we all have to make some adjustments."

The Bayou Boogie featured musicians and cuisine from Louisiana and attracted thousands of people from Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. Grand Portage officials issued a news release Monday stating the decision to cancel the event after 18 years was not easy.

Ting said they're disappointed, and added that she had no idea the Boogie was in jeopardy.

Ting said they're hoping to bring the Bayou Boogie to another area venue. The possibility of the event being held at the Thunder Bay Casino, if OLG is interested, has not been ruled out.

"We’re looking for another sponsor," she said. "They don’t have to do it on such a grand scale and they don’t have to make it a free celebration."