Weather mutes Colorfest; some events rescheduled

ANNA, Ill. -- Gray skies and muddy water dominated Union County's Colorfest Saturday, causing most outdoor events to be postponed and many vendors to lose a day's sales.

Rain poured for most of the day Saturday, overflowing gullies and slicking down the leaf-covered streets.

Those who ventured out to brave windy showers interspersed by light mists were few.

Still, some were patient enough to wade between raindrops to gaze at the view that first inspired the annual festivals.

A couple on their way home to Trinidad, Colo., stopped at a scenic overlook on Skyline Drive near Alto Pass at the fog rolling over the multi-hued valley leading to Bald Knob. From that distance, fog concealed the famous white cross on the hill, but the pair seemed pleased with just the view of the changing leaves.

"It's just brown at home," Tim Brooks said.

At Pumpkin Town USA, in Anna, some damp souls stepped quickly out of their cars to check out this year's scenes created by patients and staff members at the Clyde L. Choate Mental Health and Development Center.

Each cluster of pumpkin people were organized with a Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme theme and judges awarded first-, second- and third-place ribbons to the most creative.

Pottery-making and basket-weaving demonstrations were moved indoors at Alexcine's, a restaurant and art gallery, but the traffic was light.

In nearby Jonesboro, bands that had been booked to play on the square Saturday were canceled and food and craft vendors' sales were drowned out. The only evidence of Colorfest in town was a wind-blown banner.

Indoor events fared a little better. At Flamm's Orchard in Cobden, the folk band Mt. Tabor Revue performed for a small crowd busily gobbling homemade apple dumplings.

At the Bald Knob Cross, a ham and bean dinner was served to a smaller-than-usual crowd and the normally spectacular view was mostly obscured by low clouds.

Today, organizers hope for better weather. If all goes well, some events that were canceled or were not well attended Saturday will be held.

abuchanan@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160