Published: October 12, 2009 10:09 pm      

Rain dampens attendance at Prater's Mill

Wet weather on Saturday caused total crowds at the Prater’s Mill country fair last weekend to be half as large as usual, said Judy Alderman, director of the Prater’s Mill Foundation.

She estimated crowds were fewer than 5,000, which is down from the normal 10,000 for the weekend. Alderman did not know what kind of financial impact the leaner crowds had on the fair.

Rain has dampened several fairs and weekend events this fall, including the Battle of Tunnel Hill and the Creative Arts Guild Festival last month. Alderman said rain showers Saturday morning kept attendees away from the annual event. Although the rain held off on Sunday, the final day of the fair, soggy conditions forced the two main parking lots to be closed. There was also minor flooding from the rising Coahulla Creek, she said.

“We had a nice day Sunday, but we had to contend with mud,” Alderman said. “We’re grateful for people who came anyway. The people who did come, they had a good time and they ate a lot.”

Volunteers were busy cleaning up Prater’s Mill on Monday. The companies that provided the portable toilets and Dumpsters were not able to pick them up because of the muddy terrain, Alderman said.