Lily’s Classic, the annual fundraiser and boot hockey tournament hosted by University of Wisconsin’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, has been cancelled for 2026, according to a post from SAE’s Instagram Monday. Lily’s was to take place this Saturday.
SAE shared via Instagram and they tried to keep the event alive, but the cancellation was due to circumstances beyond their control.
In an emailed statement, public relations and communications officer for the Wisconsin Union Shauna Breneman said that campus leaders and SAE had undergone multiple meetings over the years to address concerns about attendee safety and operational damage on campus.
In November of 2025, SAE had submitted a proposal for the 2026 event, but this proposal was insufficient, Breneman said in the statement.
“The proposal did not sufficiently address protocols regarding crowd management, adequate facilities, risk mitigation, and compliance with code of conduct expectations,” according to Breneman’s emailed statement.
Breneman said SAE had submitted another proposal in response, which was approved, but the fraternity later shared that they were cancelling the event.
“We can assure you that we tried our hardest to keep the event alive for this year, but it unfortunately was not enough,” SAE said in the post.
The event, which began over a decade ago, brings hundreds of students to the ice of Lake Mendota each winter as a fundraiser to support Lily’s Fund for Epilepsy Research, according to The Record Online.
SAE’s online publication describes the event as “a part of Madison’s cultural fabric,” and students have shared their reactions to the event’s cancellation.
UW junior Chris MacNeil said he was disappointed to hear Lily’s was not taking place.
“I guess I understand why they have to do it, but I think it’s one of the few times during the year where a lot of the school gets to come together,” MacNeil said. “Ultimately, I feel like people are going to drink and party anyway. So I feel it’s a little silly to try and regulate that to the degree they’re doing.”
SAE said it is sorry to cancel last-minute and hope to see people next year.
Police will be present on the lake on Saturday but in no more than a normal weekend capacity, according to the Dane County Sheriff’s Office.
“Whether explicitly or implicitly, I think [cancellations of campus social events] do, unfortunately, drive people to other, less safe options,” MacNeil said.
Editor’s note: This story had been updated to reflect a statement from UW administration and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office.
