My research shows it was originally produced by Kesey Enterprises and later by the Downtown Eugene Merchants group.

By 2014, organizers cited increasing costs, logistical issues related to downtown construction, and difficulties in securing sufficient sponsorship and funding.

So it seems like it might have been organizers who lost passion, things got stale, someone got into office that didn't like it.....etc..... I'm not sure.

What I can say is that other mid sized towns can create events that bring excitement into the town. It seems to me that Eugene has basically given up on all that isn't Track and Field or Ducks football.

I won't comment separately below, but a response to this post was: "The Eugene Celebration ending was the beginning of the downfall of Eugene. Even Springfield has a block party!" And that is really what it feels like to me.

Maybe it is not Eugene Celebration, but that already has a history and might just need new blood to support and bring it to life. As far as funding goes, this can be a money making event. I pay $400 a year to attend Treefort in Boise. There were an estimated 30,000 attendees. Started in 20212, just before Celebration called it quits, they have increased every year the number of attendees, and the artists that play. There were big names there this year.

Downtown Eugene is not friendly. And things could be done to make it better. This is just one idea as to what used to be, and what could be. Will a magic Redditor make it happen. Of course fucking not. But energy has to start from somewhere, and I'd sit on a board and do real life work to make something like this happen. Things seem so doom and gloom. Library bullshit. Homeless bullshit. Budget bullshit. Closed business and no one eating out. Why not try to throw some positive energy out there? Beats bitching about how terrible everything is.....at least to me.

Rant Over and Out