Event organizers in Baldwin, Mobile counties keeping tabs on weather

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The severe weather threat could affect many events on the Gulf Coast today, and organizers are keeping close tabs on the forecast.

One example is the Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival.

UPDATE: The 70th Annual Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival will now open at 3 p.m. and remain open an extra hour until 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday hours will remain the same (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Shuttle services will be available Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from the Big Lots parking lot on Highway 98. Round trip tickets are $5 per person.

This year’s event is a milestone anniversary for the festival. It is celebrating 70- years on the Eastern Shore. Officials say more than 400 vendors are expected to be there.

Not only is the arts and crafts festival going on after the delay, but so is the Thrillville fair in Mobile, happening at The Hank Aaron Stadium.

Event official Jesse Sampley says the fair is still on.

“We’re looking forward to just having the community back,” Sampley said. “We’ve added a lot more rides. We’ve added some entertainment options -- a lot more vendors.”

He said, “The safety crew here -- they monitor all of the weather and wind advisories and all of that. But we are hoping for the best weather we can.”

The fair opens tonight at 5 p.m. General admission is $10.

UPDATE: The Wharf Boat Show in Orange Beach will not be opening Friday.

Boat show organizer Jim Cox relayed the following information:

“Given the severity and amount of rain we’ve received over the last hour the marina lawn (which was still wet from rainfall earlier this week) is flooded again.

“It will take us the remainder of the day, this evening, and early tomorrow morning to prepare the venue to host the show.

“We want everyone to have a FANTASTIC experience at the 2022 Wharf Boat and Yacht Show.

“The Show opens at 10:00 tomorrow!”

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