Despite a storm of protest from downtown Stillwater business owners, the Chamber of Commerce will stick with a rescheduled Rivertown Art Festival.
The chamber's executive director, Todd Streeter, said the festival was moved to the May 31-June 1 weekend, from mid-May, "after years of rain and severe weather that have hampered the event for fairgoers and prompted safety concerns for all involved."
Forty-one merchants had complained to the City Council on March 31 that the chamber changed the festival date without consulting with them, and said chamber managers hadn't responded to their concerns.
A later festival "would distance the event from the severest May weather and from springtime flooding," Streeter said.
The festival will be held in North Lowell Park.
Kevin Giles
@stribgiles
