CHARLOTTE, Mich. — What happened to the 35-year-old banner that used to hang on a fence in Eaton County advertising Charlotte Frontier Days?
That's what members of the Charlotte community are asking.
But they have more questions like, was this a prank? Or, was it something a little more sinister?
For years, a 42-foot banner attached to the Eaton County Fairgrounds fence on Cochran Avenue in Charlotte advertised the town's annual Frontier Days celebration.
But now, the sign, which was tightly fastened, has vanished.
"They put new hooks at the top, and the whole top was all hooks that latched together. They had to work really hard to get that banner off the fence," said chairman of the Charlotte Frontier Days festival, Art Luna Jr.
The Frontier Days festival has been operating for 50 years and draws thousands to Charlotte from all over the country, but this year, thieves made off with an irreplaceable souvenir.
Organizers aren't sure if this is a joke, but one thing's for sure, it isn't funny.
"We have no way of knowing who, what or why. We're hoping it was just an innocent joke or a prank because then we know we have a chance of getting it back," said organizer Kim Weicht.
The sign was last seen Monday morning at around 5 a.m.
Weicht has made a plea on the festival's Facebook page asking anyone who knows where the banner is to reach out or simply return it.
"Its very expensive to replace, but even if we do replace it, we will never get back the meaning and the history and all that comes with it."
Festival organizers tell FOX 47 News that they are holding off on making a police report because they are hoping the thieves have a change of heart and return the banner.
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