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Flooding forces cancellation of parade, early end to Apple Festival

Worker at Piney Mountain Orchards makes a sale Sunday when the weather was clear. Rain Sunday and Monday forced an early end to the Apple Festival.

By Lightning Reports, Published: September 5, 2022

It rained on our parade — so much that there is no parade.

Flooding caused by persistent rain Sunday and Monday forced the cancellation of this year's King Apple Parade, the traditional culmination of the North Carolina Apple Festival.

"We're seeing flooding on South King Street and Grove Street and the Highway Patrol is having trouble on I-26 and they're diverting traffic into Hendersonville," City Manager John Connet said at 11 a.m. "It did not make sense to have a parade."

The I-26 flooding was apparently related the ongoing construction of the I-26 widening, Connet said. Apple growers will start breaking down apple stands around noon and the city crews will be able to start removing barricades and preparing to reopen Main Street earlier than usual because of the festival shutdown.

The National Weather Service issued issued a flood warning through Wednesday night for the French Broad River at Blantyre affecting Henderson and Transylvania counties. The forecast called for rain all week. After occasional showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 3 p.m., the area could see scattered showers and thunderstorms between 3 and 4 p.m., then showers likely after 4 p.m., the NWS said. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent Monday, 50 percent Monday night and Tuesday, 40 percent Wednesday and 70 percent Thursday. Butler Bridge Road is closed because of French Broad River flooding.

Event organizers and the city of Hendersonville reminded the public to "Turn Around Don’t Drown" and seek alternate routes of travel if they encounter a flooded roadway. Citations can be issued for drivers who ignore barricades and put themselves, others and emergency responders at risk.