Festival crowds reflect rainy weather

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The inconsistent weather played a role in the crowds at Grand Rapids' annual Festival of The Arts. As the sun came out, so did more people.

"It wouldn't be festival without the rain," Brian Patterson said.

Patterson has been a volunteer at the festival for more than five years and told 24 Hour News 8 he's grown accustomed to seeing people hide under umbrellas and jackets.

He can't think of a year where the weather stayed dry all weekend.

As for this year, on-and-off again rain was heavy enough to dwindle the crowds, but light enough to keep people from abandoning the downtown streets.

"The crowd started out very light today," GRPD Sgt. Stan Lis said. "They picked up when the sun came out. [When] the weather got warm, streets filled up, booths were selling food and everybody was having a good time. It's Michigan. Weather moved in: rain, wind and everybody's running for cover now."

It was sunny one moment, then cloudy and raining the next. Mother Nature's proven to be inconsistent

"When's the sun coming back?" was the question of the day.

"It's coming back! We believe!" exclaimed Erica and Brian Vanee of Steepletown Ministries. "No matter what the weather, it can never rain on our pierogie or our keilbasas!" they said.

Jill Hubbard drove from Northview and didn't expect to see the rain. She wasn't prepared but like many others, made the best of it anyway.

"It's festival, 43rd year, we're still here," Ty Nguyen said.

The last day of this year's Festival of the Arts is Sunday from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.