Rain could play a factor in Saturday’s 28th annual Festival of Lights Parade.
While the 6 p.m. parade through downtown Columbus is considered a rain-or-shine event, it’s not that cut-and-dried, according to organizers.
Severe thunderstorms or lightning could result in the parade being canceled, Festival of Lights Parade committee member Joyce Lucke said.
Considering the time and costs invested by organizations, businesses and others with entries in the parade, as well as the committee itself, any decision to cancel the parade will be made as late as possible — likely between 5 p.m. and the scheduled 6 p.m. start time, Lucke said.
The indoor Christmas Village, from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Commons, won’t be affected by threatening weather.
The last time the parade was canceled was in 2013, when there was 6 inches of snow on the ground and a parade forecast for temperatures below 20 degrees.
In her 10 years time working with the parade, it’s never rained, so today’s forecast for rain at times during the day is new ground for the committee to consider, Lucke said.
As of mid-day Friday, Accuweather was forecasting rain to fall between 4 and 5 p.m. in Columbus, but clearing between 5 and 7 p.m. — which would likely allow the parade to go ahead as scheduled. Rain is forecast to move back into the area from 7 to 9 p.m.
If there’s a light, steady rain or drizzle, the parade would still go on, Lucke said.
“I’m checking the weather every hour,” she said.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
