SMP cancels Backyard Bash event outside Sunrise Mall

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Backyard Bash event scheduled for May 31 has been canceled.

In an April 21 post on social media, Sunrise MarketPlace announced that the upcoming Backyard Bash was canceled. The link to the Backyard Bash event page, which detailed event and ticket information, was also removed from the Sunrise MarketPlace website by Tuesday, April 22.

Sunrise MarketPlace wrote in part, “This decision was made after careful consideration of various factors, which were not taken lightly.”

In an email Tuesday, Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter expanded on the reasons for the cancellation of the event, saying ticket sales were “lighter than expected” and that the scheduled date of May 31 might have been too close to Memorial Day Weekend.

“Because we were spending a fair amount on the event, selling tickets is a way for us to gauge attendance. However, people were confused that they had to pay to get in and then pay for alcohol, though the ticket price at $25 was lower than Brews at $65,” Carpenter said.

The announcement on social media also indicated that a future event was being planned for the fall, but no event details were provided.

The Backyard Bash was announced in March and was intended to replace the annual Brews in the Burbs. Carpenter confirmed in March, saying that event was to be very similar, but with a greater focus on live music performances and more backyard games rather than brew tasting.

The City Council approved an Economic Development Support Fund grant request for $7,000 to Sunrise MarketPlace at the council meeting on March 12. The city did not respond to two requests for comment before press time regarding the status of the grant, which was awarded specifically for the Backyard Bash event.