Organizer cancels Krampus event in Bremerton, WA indefinitely over several concerns

BREMERTON, Wash. - The annual Krampusnacht Bremerton winter festival has been canceled indefinitely following a months-long controversy over an attendee’s tattoo, escalating online disputes, financial losses and threats against the event's organizer.

Organizer Eric Morley announced in a statement that the 2026 event, originally scheduled for Dec. 5, will not move forward. Morley said he has contacted sponsors, vendors and registered participants directly to notify them of the cancellation.

Bremerton Krampus event canceled

The backstory:

According to Morley, the dispute began in May after participants at a Krampus Bremerton community meetup raised concerns about an inner-arm tattoo worn by a visitor. Those who reported the tattoo identified it as a "Black Sun," a symbol with documented ties to Nazi and white supremacist imagery.

Morley said he was not present at the meetup when the concerns were initially raised, but a volunteer contacted the individual on his behalf. According to Morley, the man claimed the tattoo represented Nordic heritage rather than extremist ideology and offered to discuss its meaning.

While reviewing the matter, Morley temporarily closed group discussions. When demands for the man's immediate exclusion were not met right away, Morley said internal disagreements escalated into harassment and bullying among participants. He subsequently removed two people from the group and blocked others on social media over their conduct.

Over the next several months, Morley consulted historians and tattoo artists while updating the group's code of conduct. The man with the tattoo — who attended only one additional meetup after May and was never an official member of the Krampus Bremerton Pass — later applied to participate in the Dec. 5 event as an independent visiting performer. After briefly appearing on the event website, his application was rejected, his listing was removed and he was banned from all future events.

How it escalated:

According to Morley, information and private messages regarding the dispute were shared outside the group and circulated publicly and to vendors by a former festival market coordinator whom Morley had parted ways with six months prior to the incident.

Excerpts of private conversations were posted online alongside accusations that Morley sympathized with Nazi ideology. As those messages reached festival sponsors and vendors, Morley said he and festival volunteers began receiving hostile and threatening messages, including threats of physical assault.

The public backlash resulted in immediate financial and logistical fallout for the event, which Morley said was largely self-funded. Sponsors pulled their backing, vendors canceled and requested refunds, and rising security needs made continuing financially unsustainable.

Morley stated he took out a sizeable personal loan to cover the cost of refunding sponsors and vendors.

"I did not cancel because of one tattoo, or because someone raised concerns about it," Morley wrote. "I canceled because the escalating controversy, threats, financial losses, and safety concerns made it impossible to move forward responsibly."

What they're saying:

In his statement, Morley unequivocally denounced hate groups while taking responsibility for the delay in banning the individual.

"I emphatically reject Nazism, white supremacy, antisemitism, and extremist ideology of any kind," Morley wrote. "I have never sympathized with these abhorrent ideologies, and I never will."

Morley added that while he wanted to evaluate the situation fairly and give the individual a chance to explain, his response took too long and cost the community's trust.

"If I could do this over again, I would have removed him much sooner," Morley stated. "I’m sorry that I didn’t."

What's next:

Morley described the cancellation as indefinite, signaling the end of the annual folklore and arts celebration in Bremerton. Refunds are currently being processed for affected vendors and sponsors, and no plans have been announced to revive the event in future years.

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