The Edmond Arts Festival looks like it's going without a hitch, but that was definitely a different story Friday morning as strong winds and hail put the festival to the test.
"Well, I had a bit of damage this morning," says Cynde Roof, an artist at the festival.
Roof's display looks orderly now, but when she arrived Friday morning, she received a real shock.
"My tent was strung from one side of the block to the other and it looked like a mangled bunch of tin foil," says Roof. "My paintings were strewn up and down the street. I lost a third of my paintings and all of my tents and set up and that sort of thing so not good."
The weather blew away about fourteen tents, including Roof's, but quick thinking and kind hearts brought the festival back to working order just in time.
"This is a little bit worse than what I think everyone expected last night, but we're all back up and running," says the Chairman of the festival Bryanne Wallace. "You wouldn't know a thing happened. We bought new tents. They're put up, and we're ready to go."
"I'll tell you something, this really speaks to the Oklahoma spirit," says Roof. "People came out of the woodwork to help me. One offered a tent frame for me, and another found a tent for me. The firefighters of Edmond put the tents up for me and attacked the sidewall."
Even though the first day of the Edmond Arts Festival started out less than perfect, everyone taking in the art, displays and food is calling it a good day.
"Stores are open, every body's happy, we got a smile on our face and we've got beautiful weather," says Wallace.
Roof says she's learned her lesson and, from now on, will be sure to keep a closer eye on the weather and their displays.
This is the 29th year for the Edmond Arts Festival.
