WILDER, Ky. — Citing rising food costs, the Wilder Fire Department announced it is canceling the annual fish fry in 2025, adding it plans to host it once again next year.
The fire department said in a social media post that the rising cost of food and supplies has made the event unfeasible this year, and the fire department doesn't want to raise the cost of served meals.
"The rising costs of food and supplies due to the ongoing inflation crisis have made it fiscally impractical to host the event without significantly increasing prices," the post reads. "As responsible stewards of our community's resources, we believe it would not be fair to pass these additional costs onto you."
Watch to see how various economic factors are putting price pressures on local fish fries this year — and how it may impact you:
The decision to cancel this year was made after months of cost analyses with multiple different food delivery services, the fire department said.
WCPO 9 News requested an interview with a fire department official but as of this publishing has yet to hear back.
The fire department said it hopes the fish fry event can resume in 2026, "once food and material prices stabilize."
"I am a little surprised because I think people love it so much that they would pay a little more to come," said Tim McHugh, director of the St. Agnes Church fish fry, in nearby Fort Wright. "We are increasing our prices slightly, not the full amount that we need to."
McHugh said many local fish fries are facing those same pricing pressures as they prepare for the 2025 Lenten season.
"This year looks like a bigger (price) increase than we've seen with the past couple years," he said. "We're kind of seeing, across the board, food price increases, as well as materials, plates and napkins and all your incidentals."
Amid an ongoing surge in egg prices, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts prices will rise an additional 20% in 2025.
"We don't rely on a lot of raw eggs, but it certainly helps drive up the production cost of the battered fish," McHugh said. "The frozen cod is the big one. Frozen battered cod filets, those are up about 80% in some areas, 30% from our supplier."
St. Agnes Church will hold its annual fish fry this year every Friday during the month of March beginning March 7.
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