Saying the town doesn't want to be in the festival business, Amherstburg has turned down a request to take over the Windsor-Essex Harvest Festival.
It was launched in September as a replacement for the Shores of Erie Wine Festival which was cancelled two years ago.
Town Councillor Rick Fryer believes the Harvest Festival was successful because of its predecessor. "The premise that this is a one year event and it did fantastic I think is misguided, because that date was secured because Shores of Erie Wine had it for 10 years. It's their date. Right now WE Harvest was put in there in replace of, so if they (Shores of Erie Wine) come forward and want to do another event, that's up to them."
"The festival doesn't have to end" says Fryer. "The town is willing to consider any other proposals to take it over."
Fryer adds the Shores of Erie Wine Festival committee contacted council members wanting to be involved in this discussion and notes that event may return in the near future.
But Fryer believes the town should not be in the "event running business."