Krampusnacht Bremerton, the costumed winter parade that grew from a handful of friends into a downtown event drawing thousands, will not take place on December 5, 2026. Founder Eric Morley announced that he was canceling it indefinitely, citing multiple factors rather than a single cause.
Founder Points to Hate Concerns and Trust
Organizers announced the indefinite cancellation on the Krampus Bremerton website. Morley told the Kitsap Sun that several factors informed his decision, including his handling of concerns about hateful views circulating within the broader Krampus community, as reported by Yahoo.
Morley acknowledged that he did not respond quickly enough when those concerns first surfaced, and said the delay had cost trust. He also stated, “I condemn hatred, bigotry, and white supremacy without reservation.”
A Parade That Outgrew Itself
Krampusnacht Bremerton began in 2021 with a small group of friends walking downtown in costume and grew to draw thousands of attendees, according to the report. Morley said the event's increasing size had become difficult to manage.
The numbers back up that trajectory. In its first year, Bremerton's Krampusnacht drew nearly 2,000 attendees, according to Kitsap SmokeStack. By last year, the fifth annual gathering brought thousands of spectators to downtown streets on a chilly Saturday night, according to The Kitsap Sun, which also reported more than 125 individuals dressed as different versions of Krampus marching that night. Yahoo put last year's overall crowd estimate even higher, at more than 6,000 people downtown.
City Guidance on Permits and Safety Planning
According to the City of Bremerton's permit guidance, special-event permits are required when an event seeks street closures or uses city resources; parades are among the examples listed. The City's public-safety event-management plan template is intended for events with 1,000 or more attendees. These general materials do not establish which permitting requirements applied to Krampusnacht from 2021 through 2025 or what safety arrangements were made for the event.
Money Raised, Plans Scrapped
Morley told Yahoo he had raised about $20,000 to stage this year's event before deciding to cancel it. Organizers said they contacted sponsors, vendors and registered participants directly after the decision and thanked everyone who had taken part in or supported Krampusnacht over the years.
The specific reason behind the cancellation remains unclear beyond the factors Morley described, and it is not known whether the event will return in a future year. The tradition itself traces back centuries, with Krampus known in Bavarian holiday folklore as a goat-like, horned creature who swats misbehaving children and hauls them away in a sack, a figure that predates St. Nicholas and was meant to deter bad behavior before the holidays. Krampusnacht, German for “Krampus Night,” traditionally precedes Yuletide celebrations, and in recent years Krampus groups have been popping up across the country as the tradition gained popularity stateside, according to Kitsap SmokeStack.
