6 days ago
N.S. Apple Blossom Festival organizers hoping for clear skies this weekend
The grey skies are an indication of what the weekend weather will be like for the 91st Apple Blossom Festival in Annapolis Valley, N.S.
With a full slate of events, organizers are hoping for the best but say rain isn't the end of the world.
'There's lots of people that I hear that this is the time they come to the valley, for sure it's when they want to come home,' Apple Blossom Festival vice president Stacey Vries says. 'Last year we had rain and honest to gosh the parade was crazy busy, people standing there with their umbrellas.'
They'll be visiting during an unfortunate trend of soggy weather. This weekend will be the ninth straight with measurable rainfall.
Stacey Vries
Stacey Vries, vice president of the Apple Blossom Festival, checks the weather on her phone. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)
'It's kind of a bummer,' says New Minas resident Brent Patterson.
'If I could schedule it for Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night, I would,' says CTV News Atlantic Chief Meteorologist Kalin Mitchell.
Mitchell notes there's a reason the Maritimes is stuck in a wet weekend pattern.
'We typically have a run in with a weather system every four-to-seven days, so you can see how if you get onto a pattern where we start to see low-pressure system on a Wednesday and then maybe another one arriving for the weekend, that could repeat for a number of weekends on end,' he says.
According to Mitchell, the last precipitation-free weekend was March 22 and 23.
'There's not a lot you can do about it but really the only time most people have to get things done,' says Patterson.
Despite the forecast, valley residents don't think the weather will put a damper on festival activities.
'Most people are pretty adaptive. They just adapt to the weather and they still take part in things so I think it'll be all right,' says resident Colin Hines.
The Apple Blossom fireworks are scheduled for Friday night. Saturday's parade set to go rain or shine and it's recommended to pack an umbrella.
The festival wraps up on Sunday.
Apple blossoms
Apple blossoms in Annapolis Valley, N.S., are pictured. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)
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