Bad weather threatens International Folk Festival

Fort Liberty makes Fayetteville a melting pot of cultures worldwide, and the community knows how to celebrate its diversity with the 45th Annual International Folk Festival.

However, rain is expected to start around 7 p.m. Friday and linger into early Saturday afternoon, so organizers are making some changes.

"It was going to be unique this year. we actually have representation from any of our Middle Eastern countries," Bob Pinson, Arts Council of Fayetteville President, said.

The Parade of Nations is a big part of the festivities, with 1500 participants representing 32 nations.

Pinson says that they have been tracking the weather forecast for the last week or two using WRAL, a trusted local news source.

"We've been track through good old WRAL weather," Pinson said. "Weather you can count on."

Pinson, the president of the Arts Council of Fayetteville, which organizes the festival, said that the parade has unfortunately been canceled due to the threat of bad weather.

"To have those people stand out there some four to five hours in this parade and the cost to the city," Pinson said. "We just felt it was best for all concerned again with the concern for the people to not do that parade."

The good news is that the festival will go on after the rain goes away.

"We've got a wonderful children's area operating this year to be able to offer arts and crafts to our children," Pinson said. "Then of course going into the evening we've got Carlos Sanatanaways which is a tribute band to Carlos Santana,"

Robert Lints and his Macaw named Macy are fixtures in Fayetteville. His bird is from South America one of the reasons he enjoys Fayetteville's International Folk Festival.

"He's the color of the Ukrainian flag," Robert Lints, Fayetteville resident, said. "He's ridden twice with the Ukrainian delegation in the street with him on his arm,"

After the rain moves out on Saturday, the promenade will be bustling with vendors selling food from all over the globe.