But don\u2019t worry \u2014 there\u2019s still a plan to serve fried fish in the future.<\/p>\n
Brooklyn Park Lions President Michael Crenshaw said there\u2019s a smelt shortage, so they\u2019ve run out of smelt fairly quickly each day of the fry.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, they have another fish, pollock, to make sure plates are full.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are normally accustomed to getting 120-140 cases a year, and this year we ended up only getting 75,\u201d Crenshaw said.<\/p>\n
On the first day, 484 people showed up. Crenshaw expects another big turnout for Friday, April 24, the last day of the Smelt Fry for 2026.<\/p>\n
It runs from 5-8 p.m on the Armory side of the Community Activity Center in Brooklyn Park. If you want some smelt, Crenshaw recommends lining up early.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt unites the community,\u201d Crenshaw said. \u201cMy biggest thing is, you know Brooklyn Park, we put the unity in community. And we\u2019re all about the community. We\u2019re all about serving the community, helping the community, and giving back to the community. If the community can show up for us, we can show up for it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lions Club volunteers say some of the funds raised from the fry go back into charitable causes for the community.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What\u2019s Next?<\/p>\n
Crenshaw said this could be the last year of the smelt fry as smelt supplies are so low, but they would transition to another style of fish fry in the future.<\/p>\n
He knows how important the event is to the community, because it\u2019s important to him, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fries will carry on, they\u2019ll keep going. We will keep doing this,\u201d Crenshaw said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tickets for the smelt fry are $18 online<\/a> and $20 at the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n This is one of many Brooklyn Park Lions events each year. To learn more about the club, and even join them yourself, you can visit their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n One visitor wears this shirt from a previous smelt fry.<\/p>\n![\"shirt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-12.45.50-PM-1024x741.png\")
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