Rainout doesn’t damper future plans for A Fair in the Park

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Promotional material for the annual A Fair in the Park says it goes on rain or shine.

But that was before the remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon descended upon the region last weekend, washing away all hopes for the 49th annual event in Mellon Park that showcases arts and crafts booths, music and food. It was canceled both days.

“There was no way that the event could have been salvaged,” said Karen McKee, president of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh, which sponsors the event. “This rain was coming with vengeance. Water was pouring everywhere. This was beyond anyone’s control.”

Pittsburgh saw record-setting rainfall, already surpassing its monthly and yearly averages. In fact the rain on Sunday reached 3.73 inches at Pittsburgh International Airport and was recorded as the second wettest day ever here.

The two-day fair held the second weekend in September typically draws 20,000 visitors to the park that straddles Shadyside and Point Breeze.

This would have been painter Mike Schiavone’s first appearance at the fair, joining more than 100 other artists signed up to exhibit their works. As he was trying to set up his booth, he saw 3 to 4 inches of mud running along the side of the pavement surrounding the park, he said.

“Elderly people and artists that were not so sure on their feet could have fallen and hurt themselves,” he said.

“It was a very hard decision,” Ms. McKee said about the cancellation. “Our board [had] a difficult time with this. It’s a one-time-a-year event, and we [knew] weather might be a factor.”

Still, “I think our board made a perfect and timely decision to close the fair because of all of the artwork that could have been ruined, and [there was] continued rain forecast for the whole weekend.”

Canceling such a large event isn’t easy. Artists were first notified by email about potential inclement weather on Friday and then the cancellation on Saturday morning. Carrie Nardini, fair director, sent out messages to the event Facebook pages and websites. All artists were also contacted by phone and email.

Amanda Wolf, a ceramist and regular artist who has participated for the past 10 years, also was setting up her booth when she was notified in person by members of the Craftsmen’s Guild.

“I’m not happy about the weather this past weekend because this [was] a huge part of my income for the month, but I watched the trees blowing and the weather outside my window, and I was happy not to be outside in a booth,” she said. “I would have lost more product [if] I had sales.”

The artists are aware of the protocols for inclement weather.

“You know when the weather is dangerous and conditions don’t allow for the safety of attendees, artists, and the artists’ work,” said Mr. Schiavone. “The industry standard is that there are no refunds.”

Artists are required to pay an application fee of $25 and purchase booths to showcase their work. The fees for the units are $395 for a booth and $445 for corner spaces. On the event website, artists are also advised to make sure their booths have provisions to protect against inclement weather.

“You know as an artist that you are taking a chance,” Ms. McKee said. “Every artist signs a statement and agreement that they understand that the show will go on if possible, rain or shine. We had to make a decision based on the safety and protection of our patrons, artists and our artists’ work.”

Ms. McKee said that the public has been generally positive about the decision to cancel.

“We have emails upon emails [from the public] that we absolutely did the right thing and that they are thankful that we were able to get everyone to safety.”

In a statement about the cancellation, organizers wrote:

“We appreciate everyone’s hard work, dedication, and preparation. Our interest is to ensure the safety of our artists, their work and our dedicated shoppers.

“Next year is our 50th anniversary, and we look for- ward to celebrating this milestone with all of you.”