By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Apr 10, 2020 at 11:49 AM

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Well this is terrible news for the morning after Gründonnerstag.

For the first time in its history Milwaukee's German Fest is cancelling its annual lakefront celebration of German heritage. And this year was to be the fest's 40th annual event.

"This decision was not arrived at lightly," said Festival President Eric Radue in a statement, which you can read in its entirety below.

"After much consideration and deliberation, the only responsible option for our attendees and our many dedicated volunteers was to cancel."

The festival was to be held Friday-Sunday, July 24-26.

Radue said it will return in 2021.

Here is the full statement:

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.