PINEVILLE -- Ken Schutten, president of the Anderson Betterment Club and Berries, Bluegrass, and BBQ Festival organizer, notes the festival was canceled due to rain.
Schutten said the Anderson Betterment Club consulted with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Springfield, with the two coming to the conclusion that rain would be constant the day of the planned festival -- which proved to be true.
Schutten said there is no rescheduled date due to other upcoming community events and pre-made band schedules.
"Any time there is rain in the forecast or rain is happening, it really cuts down on the amount of visitors you have," Schutten said. "And we didn't want our vendors to come out and bring their products out, make their food, and not have a big enough crowd for them to make money to make it worth their while."
Schutten said the festival cannot be rescheduled after upcoming community events because strawberries (upon which the festival is focused) will be out of season.
"The festival is a celebration of the history of the strawberry industry," Schutten said. "Anderson, at one time, was the strawberry capital of the world, from the 1920s to the 1950s."
Schutten said festival T-shirts will be available for purchase at Anderson's upcoming Farmers Market, on May 28. Shirts will be available in local businesses following the Farmer's Market. Schutten added that the club plans to set a reschedule date next year to keep the event from being canceled entirely.
The club is planning for activities later in the year, including the Homecoming Parade and Winterfest. Individuals interested in participating in Anderson Betterment Club activities can attend the club's meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday, June 2, at the New Mac building in Anderson.