High water forces Fort to cancel festival

FORT RECOVERY - For the first time, the Harvest Jubilee has been canceled due to extensive flooding at Ambassador Park.

However, other weekend events, including Rockford Community Day, Zuma Days in Montezuma and The Lake Improvement Association's Summer Kickoff 2015 are still on, according to event organizers.

The eight-person Harvest Jubilee commitee, according to co-chairperson Theresa Lennartz, on Wednesday decided to nix the four-day town celebration after conferring with the Ambassador Club and village officials.

"There is no way," Lennartz said about having the Harvest Jubilee, noting the Wabash River rose completely over the bank, spilling five feet of water into Ambassador Park, where tents and rides had been set up for the festival.

The commitee also released the following statement:

"The 2015 Fort Recovery Harvest Jubilee and Fireman's parade has been cancelled due to the forecast of additional rain and current flooding in the Fort Recovery area and at the Ambassador Park," the statement reads. "We welcome you back in 2016 for our 225th celebration, June 12-19th. Please be patient while the committee works out details on ride tickets, sponsorships, drawings and vouchers. Thank you for your understanding and continued support."

It's going to take at least two days for the floodwaters to subside and by that time, the area would be a muddy mess and swarming with mosquitoes, she said.

The commitee discussed possibly rescheduling the event in the fall but members decided trying to reorganize the festival would be a nightmare.

Lennartz said a majority of the jubilee's budget comes from local sponsors. Some of the bands have been understanding, waiving their fees for their canceled spots, she said. However, a huge expense is the tents, which have already been rented and erected.

The village park, pool, athletic clubs and other groups which receive 95 percent of the proceeds generated by the Harvest Jubilee will be hurt by the cancellation, Lennartz said.

"That's going to be a huge loss," she said.

Last year, the Jubilee had a record-breaking year of profits in the $63,000 range, Lennartz said.

"So we went from a record-breaking year to losing money," she said.

While next year's festival date is set, committee members may consider moving future events to the fall, its original time slot, because it always seems to rain in June, she said.

Rockford Community Days, Zuma Days in Montezuma and The Lake Improvement Association's Summer Kickoff 2015 are still set to go this weekend.

Rockford Mayor Amy Joseph said this morning Rockford Community Days will go on Friday through Sunday, though the event may be downsized and some of the inflatables may not go up. Parking could be an issue and she asked that people not park on the grass.

"We're going with the flow," Joseph said. "The river has dropped about an inch and if Tropical Storm Bill stays away, we should be good."

Zuma Days, to be held tonight, Friday and Saturday, too, is still a go, according to its organizers.

"Zuma Days will be happening this weekend come hell and or high water," Zuma Parks' Facebook page stated today. "We are fortunate enough to have all of our activities under tents and on concrete or gravel."

LIA President Tim Lovett said the Summer Kickoff festival, starting at 11 a.m. Saturday at Grand Lake St. Marys-East Bank, is still going to happen, as of this morning. The group has rented a huge tent and he hopes for the best.

"We'll see how it goes," Lovett said. "Right now, we're going ahead with it, but if the worst should happen, then we'll have to cancel. I hate to do that, but we don't want any injuries."