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Still plenty of fun at Westerner Days despite rain

Rain isn’t stopping the party.
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Sherwood Park’s Jan Keef dressed up in her rain poncho to deal with the wet conditions Friday at Westerner Days. Despite the rain she was able to enjoy the rides with her 13-year-old granddaughter Samantha. (Photo by Sean McIntosh/Advocate staff)

Rain isn’t stopping the party.

Despite much of Friday morning and early afternoon being covered by dark clouds and rain, people still came out to enjoy themselves at Westerner Days Fair and Exposition.

Sherwood Park’s Jan Keef arrived at the fair in Red Deer around noon with a friend from Calgary and her 13-year-old granddaughter Samantha.

Keef said the rain was actually a plus for the day because the lines for rides were shorter.

“We had our rain ponchos on and our umbrellas so the rain didn’t bother us,” Keef said. “When you’re on a ride, who cares?”

The group of three was enjoying rides for hours despite the wet conditions.

Around 2 p.m. the skies started to clear up and rain, outside of a couple brief spurts, was beginning to end. One family from Red Deer, Adam and Jessica Glover, their three-year-old son Benjamin and one-year-old daughter Emily, waited until the rain was gone to go to Westerner Park.

Related: Thursday attendance

Attendees seemed to be enjoying the day despite the rain when they got there, Adam Glover said.

“It looks like everybody has just packed a jacket and they’re making the best of the day,” he said.

It was their son’s first fair where he was old enough to get on the midway rides, so that was something the family was looking forward to, Adam Glover said.

Blackfalds’ Jordan McKee arrived at the park around 5:30 p.m., well after the rain was gone.

“It just kind of worked out that way. I got out of work at five, my wife and kids picked me up and we came right out here. We just got lucky I think,” he said.

When McKee saw the rain this afternoon he was a little worried they would have to cancel the trip to Westerner Days.

“Earlier this afternoon I texted my wife ‘I don’t think we’re going,’ but it all worked out.”

There isn’t expected to be any rain Saturday, although there could be some Sunday night, according to Environment Canada.

Westerner Days continue until Sunday afternoon.



Sean McIntosh

About the Author: Sean McIntosh

Sean joined the Red Deer Advocate team in the summer of 2017. Originally from Ontario, he worked in a small town of 2,000 in Saskatchewan for seven months before coming to Central Alberta.
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