GREENSBORO – The annual Greensboro Catfish Festival is now a thing of the past. After 17 years, the mid-September festival has finally come to an end and a new event is emerging in its place.

The Catfish Festival was an annual event that gave the catfish industry an opportunity to promote its product in Greensboro. The festival took place for 16 years, and its 17th year was canceled when Hurricane Ivan blew into town.

Former festival co-chairwoman Leighann Barton said the Catfish Festival lasted much longer than most annual community festivals. Barton worked on the festival committee during its final year.

She said the attendance started dropping over the last few years partly because of a lull in the catfish industry and also because people had grown tired of attending the same event year after year.

In an effort to avoid another canceled or unsuccessful year, the festival has been called off until further notice, she said.

The festival organizers are now pooling their efforts toward a new event, the Second Annual Greensboro Rodeo.

The first Greensboro Rodeo took place earlier this year, and because it was a success, the Greensboro Rodeo Committee decided to make it annual. Barton said the rodeo is a new way for residents to come out and have good time in the community.

With rodeo season opening in April, Barton said, “We wanted to get the first rodeo in the area.” The Second Annual Greensboro Rodeo will be held April 7-8, 2006 at Lyons Park in Greensboro.