Posted Thursday, November 19, 2009 --- 8:25 a.m.

From NBC15's News Partner: The DeForest Times-Tribune:

By Jim Winter
Editor

The North Star Blues & BBQ Festival is done after two years.

The DeForest Area Chamber of Commerce's board of directors has decided to cancel the festival.

"The level of sponsorship required to support the festival was deemed too burdensome for area businesses and community sponsors," executive director Lisa Beck said in the chamber's monthly newsletter. "Continuing the festival poses too great a risk of financial loss."

In September, the board had decided to hold the festival for at least one more year, with some tweaks.

A requirement the board had for the festival to survive another year was to find a way to generate revenue from the barbeque competition.

Beck said the chamber took in $25,000 less in sponsorships in 2009. In 2008, the chamber got $47,000. In 2009, that dropped to $22,000. Beck said the board wants to see sponsorships increased by at least $5,000 to $8,000 for next year.

Beck said she would like to focus on improving DeForest's July 4 celebration.