BY CASEY SCHELLENBERGER
Flyers advertising The Artist Alley of Uptown Waterloo included a bolded “Rain or Shine!” So, despite the downpour on Sept. 21, the event still took place.
It just did not take place in the alley next to the Button Factory, otherwise known as the Waterloo Community Art Centre (WCAC), located at 25 Regina St. Instead, all 18 artists and vendors set up their work inside the building.
This wasn’t the first time inclement weather disrupted the event, according to Heather Franklin, the executive director of the WCAC.
“We’ve had two or three rained out this year. It’s very frustrating.”
Artist Alley has been held several times over the summer. It took place on every other Friday in June and July and the first Friday of the month in both August and September. In addition, there have been three Saturday Artist Alley events, each corresponding with another event, such as the Jazz Festival in July.
Some of the vendors at the event noticed that the weather caused a drop in attendance from the previous Artist Alleys.
“… Usually we go all the way from Regina Street to King Street, so it’s a little more spread out and we get a lot more walk-by traffic,” said Melissa Kristensen-Smith, a vendor who has participated in the Artist Alley all summer. “The rain’s been a damper on things, but at least we’re dry.”
However, Desi Lichty, another vendor, said she didn’t really notice a drop in attendance.
“Waterloo Community Art Centre has other events running as well, like Doors Open … and they have the live symphony members upstairs, so it kind of brings people in,” Lichty said.
Franklin said, “We’re all going ‘Oh, rain.’ Not much we can do about it.”
The last Artist Alley of the year will be held Friday, Oct. 4 between 5 and 8 p.m.
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