Cedar Springs drops Red Flannel logo

CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. (WOOD) - For 73 years, the Red Flannel Festival commemorated the lumber history of Cedar Springs. But in the culmination of a long flap between the city and the festival committee, the city council voted to stop using the logo on all of its property.

And the logo is everywhere.

City leaders said they were forced into the decision by the committee.

The city services for the festival -- police, clean up, road closures -- had always been donated by the city. But the city council decided they could no longer make that in-kind donation and would have to charge the festival committee.

But the committee was unhappy with the amount the city wanted to charge, and they told the city it could no longer use the trademarked logo to promote itself.

Festival officials threatened a lawsuit. Instead of contesting it, the city council decided Thursday night to scrap the use of the logo.

"I know that they talked at the meeting, expressing their concerns about having to make this decision," said Cedar Springs Interim City Manager Roger Parent. He is also the Chief of Police. "But they did decide, in a 6-1 vote, that they would break away from using the logos based upon the legal aspects, which we were made aware of two days before."

By Friday afternoon, the logos were being removed from all of the city's trucks. They have 45 days to get rid of all the logos.

Despite several attempts by 24 Hour News 8, members of the Red Flannel Festival Committee were unable to be reached for comment.

The Red Flannel Festival is still being planned for the weekend of October 6.