Police say when the number of kids fighting grew to about a hundred, they took action. They fired  twenty five rounds of pepper balls, made ten arrests and closed the  festival for about a half hour.  City leaders say something needs to be done to keep this long standing event, a safe one.

“Good people coming to an event that occurs every year, and now all of a sudden we've got thugs coming and they're ruining it for everybody," said Peoria City Council Member Eric Turner.

The Peoria Police Department says new measures need to be taken to keep the festival safe.  They'll soon meet with city leaders and officials from Peoria Area Community Events, known as PACE, which organizes the festival.

“We want to keep it a good family event.  And that's the reason for the discussion," Police Captain Mike Scully said.  Scully  says they'll consider several options including boosting security, and restricting access after nine o'clock to minors.  Some say that may not be enough.

“Maybe if we can't control it, we need to end the carnival,” Turner said.  Peoria Police and pace say that would be an extreme measure.  Whatever they decide, community leaders say one things' for sure- if something doesn't change, people won't come.

“We’re going to run away good people and families that want to have a good time,” Turner said.