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Independence, MO —
Mother Nature got her wish.
But for Independence, it was bittersweet.
After a dreadful summer-long drought, a steady rainfall began shortly before the Santa-Cali-Days Festival opened at noon Friday. The rain only got heavier as the afternoon wore on, and by late afternoon, few food booths remained open while the craft vendors remained protected under the large tents.
The Independence Chamber of Commerce closed the festival early at 5:30 p.m. because of the inclement weather and wind gusts, which included the cancellation of all Gospel, Community and Main stage performances.
“Bittersweet is a good phrase for it,” Interim Chamber President Teresa Freeland said. “We did need the rain. It’s refreshing. Hopefully, it will bring better and sunnier skies (Saturday) afternoon.
“The weather is going to improve, and we want people to come out.”
The 40th annual festival reopens at 10 a.m. today and runs through Monday. Today’s forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of rain, but clearer skies are expected for Sunday and Monday with temperatures in the upper 80s and lower 90s.
Thomas Crafts, led by Dale and Mary Ann Thomas of Southaven, Miss., remained open and safe from the elements under the market vendor tents. Mary Ann said she and her husband have been vendors at Santa-Cali-Gon Days on and off again for 25 years.
“It’s been cold here. It’s been very hot. The wind blew so hard two years ago that they let us pack up and leave,” Mary Ann said.
Stubborn weather or not, Mary Ann Thomas said she likes Independence and the festival.
“We have good sales. It’s a fun show to do, usually,” she said, laughing.
While sales were slow Friday for Thomas Crafts, Mary Ann said she was optimistic about the remainder of Santa-Cali-Gon.
“It’s supposed to be very nice Sunday and Monday,” she said. “Now, last year, on Saturday, it rained. Usually, Saturday is our best day. So, we didn’t do that well because it stormed on Saturday.
“But Sunday, we made up for it. I’ve never seen so many people here.”
At the Nativity of Mary booth near the corner of Maple Avenue and Main Street, several volunteers called out “Hot dogs! Get your hot dogs!” even as the wind blew strongly and the rain pounded the pavement.
“This is the perfect kind of rain that we need, long and steady,” said Terri Bergman, Parent-Teacher Organization president for Nativity of Mary, “but we’re here to try to raise money for the school. We’re really hoping it blows off, and then we’ll be here to sell as many hot dogs as possible.”
Mother Nature got her wish.
But for Independence, it was bittersweet.
After a dreadful summer-long drought, a steady rainfall began shortly before the Santa-Cali-Days Festival opened at noon Friday. The rain only got heavier as the afternoon wore on, and by late afternoon, few food booths remained open while the craft vendors remained protected under the large tents.
The Independence Chamber of Commerce closed the festival early at 5:30 p.m. because of the inclement weather and wind gusts, which included the cancellation of all Gospel, Community and Main stage performances.
“Bittersweet is a good phrase for it,” Interim Chamber President Teresa Freeland said. “We did need the rain. It’s refreshing. Hopefully, it will bring better and sunnier skies (Saturday) afternoon.
“The weather is going to improve, and we want people to come out.”
The 40th annual festival reopens at 10 a.m. today and runs through Monday. Today’s forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of rain, but clearer skies are expected for Sunday and Monday with temperatures in the upper 80s and lower 90s.
Thomas Crafts, led by Dale and Mary Ann Thomas of Southaven, Miss., remained open and safe from the elements under the market vendor tents. Mary Ann said she and her husband have been vendors at Santa-Cali-Gon Days on and off again for 25 years.
“It’s been cold here. It’s been very hot. The wind blew so hard two years ago that they let us pack up and leave,” Mary Ann said.
Stubborn weather or not, Mary Ann Thomas said she likes Independence and the festival.
“We have good sales. It’s a fun show to do, usually,” she said, laughing.
While sales were slow Friday for Thomas Crafts, Mary Ann said she was optimistic about the remainder of Santa-Cali-Gon.
“It’s supposed to be very nice Sunday and Monday,” she said. “Now, last year, on Saturday, it rained. Usually, Saturday is our best day. So, we didn’t do that well because it stormed on Saturday.
“But Sunday, we made up for it. I’ve never seen so many people here.”
At the Nativity of Mary booth near the corner of Maple Avenue and Main Street, several volunteers called out “Hot dogs! Get your hot dogs!” even as the wind blew strongly and the rain pounded the pavement.
“This is the perfect kind of rain that we need, long and steady,” said Terri Bergman, Parent-Teacher Organization president for Nativity of Mary, “but we’re here to try to raise money for the school. We’re really hoping it blows off, and then we’ll be here to sell as many hot dogs as possible.”
