Dayton's 25th annual Scopes Festival cancelled

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Organizers have canceled the 25th annual 2012 Scopes Festival, citing "unforeseen circumstances."

"We appreciate the efforts by those who have been working hard to prepare for a festival that would be both entertaining and educational and regret that we will not be able to produce the festival this year," Scopes Festival Chairman Tom Davis said in an email.

The festival had planned to debut a new play, "Front Page News," about the 1925 Scopes evolution trial, but there are "too many holes to fill" in the production, especially with scheduling conflicts among cast members, according to Anna Tromanhauser, executive director with MainStreet Dayton.

The play's revenue was an essential "cornerstone of the festival," she said, and without it, this year's festival had to be canceled.

The festival will resume in 2013, Davis said.