Festival In A Log Jam

City Administrator Larry Hansen was so concerned the name “Stillwater Log Jam” could be “construed (in a sexual way),” that he emailed a festival organizer and asked that she consider something else.

“The city has concerns over the name that was chosen,” Stillwater Mayor Ken Harycki told the Pioneer-Press newspaper. “We were made aware – how can I put this delicately? – that the name was a vulgar reference that we would prefer not to have associated with a family event in the city.”

Festival organizer Cassie McLemore was apparently not impressed with the city officials’ thinking and declined the request.

“Oh my Lord,” McLemore told the paper. “Honestly, I mean how ridiculous do you have to be? Are we 14-year-old boys? Seriously. Ninety-nine percent of the people, that wouldn’t even cross their minds.”

Cleaner minds prevailed, however.

Harycki had a change of heart “after realizing that any name could have a sexual connotation,” according to the paper. “All of us at the city are hypersensitive to this festival just due to past issues,” Harycki said, referring to financial and other problems with city’s previous Lumberjack Days. “We just want the best festival that reflects the best face of Stillwater, and we thought that with some of the connotations, it might be appropriate to come up with a different name.”

The request for a name change was withdrawn.