AITKIN — Organizers of the Minnesota Redneck Festival say they will reschedule their event out of respect for the family of a sheriff’s deputy killed in the line of duty.

Aitkin County Sheriff’s Deputy Steven Sandberg was killed in October after a hospital patient grabbed his weapon and shot him. A 5K and community day to honor fallen officers is scheduled in Aitkin on May 20 and May 21.

The Minnesota Redneck Festival was scheduled for that same weekend. Organizers say that once they learned of the conflict, they decided to find a new festival date in the fall.

Redneck Festival events will include lawnmower racing, an armpit serenade, toilet seat horseshoes and Miss and Mr. ‘Merica contests.

Aitkin was recently named the number-one redneck city in Minnesota by RoadSnacks.