Holiday Events Canceled Due to Storm Bert Forecast

Severe weather predictions have led to the cancellation of two winter events in town centres. Watford Town Centre BID announced that Winterfest, scheduled for Saturday afternoon, will no longer proceed. Additionally, the Christmas Carnival in Harpenden, planned for Sunday, has been called off. These decisions come as Storm Bert, identified as the second named storm of the current season, is anticipated to bring snow, rain, and powerful winds to various regions of the UK over the weekend. Watford BID stated that the customary parade and Christmas lights switch-on event would not occur, citing that “the safety of town users, staff and attendees must be prioritised”. Kara Mesiano, the manager, commented: “A lot of time, thought and discussion has been put in before reaching this difficult decision.” She further explained, “With no funfair rides and no event stage, we unfortunately do not have the elements we need for Winterfest.” However, the town’s holiday lights are still expected to be lit late on Saturday, she confirmed. Harpenden Town Council indicated that the anticipated strong winds would prevent the operation of market stalls, music stages, and funfair rides. The council released a statement saying, “The safety of residents, traders and event staff is always at the forefront of our decisions even though we appreciate how disappointing this is to everyone”. Despite the cancellations, pre-booked craft activities at Park Hall are still scheduled, and Santa’s Grotto will be moved to Bennets Main Hall. The town’s Christmas tree and lights are planned to be activated at some point on Sunday, the council noted. Separately, Bedford Borough Council has postponed its Christmas lights switch-on event, originally set for Saturday, by one week. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.