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Shakerag Festival cancelled due to bad weather

Fearing possible high winds, heavy rains and possible tornadoes from Hurricane Ivan, officials of the Shakerag Arts and Crafts Festival have decided to cancel this weekend’s event that had been scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

In the history of the 27-year-old event, no festival has even been cancelled, although intermittent rains have hampered a few years.

“We have watched this system along with the rest of the country the past two weeks, hoping that the weather would not cause us to take this action. But, we have to consider our vendors and try to protect their wares as well as try to guarantee a safe event for the customer. Part of Shakerag’s beauty is that it is held in a wooded area. With the predicted high winds, city officials fear damage from falling trees or limbs,” noted Janet Werner, the festival’s coordinator.

Recreation staff met Wednesday afternoon to make a final call. There is no rain date scheduled for the festival as the fall weekends are heavily booked for other events in the city. However, vendors will be guaranteed their same spot at a spring date, Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1, 2005 selected as the 2004 makeup date. Shakerag Arts and Crafts Festival will still be held in the fall of 2005 and thereafter.

“Vendors who can not attend the spring makeup date will receive a total refund,” said Werner. “All vendors who are registered for this September show will be contacted with the April date information within a week. Vendors are asked to commit to the April date by Oct. 1; otherwise, a refund will be processed.

“We are saddened to have to cancel this long-standing community event,” Werner continued. “Using our crystal ball, this seems to be the best decision that protects our vendors and offers our customers the best quality show available. After we get everyone notified, work will start right away on the Spring event. We’ll get the word out on that event very soon.”

For questions or more information, call The Gathering Place at 770-631-2553 or the Recreation Administration at 770-631-2542.