Saskatchewan

Craven campgrounds reopen after rain delay

The campgrounds at the Craven Country Jamboree site reopened Wednesday afternoon. The grounds were closed shortly after they opened Tuesday because of heavy rains. Organizers feared heavy RV traffic would ruin the wet dirt roads.

About 20 campers parked overnight in Evraz Place lot

Campers who were turned away were allowed to park overnight in the Evraz Place lot in Regina. (Brian Rodgers/CBC)

Thanks to sunshine, wind and heavy-duty drainage, campers were able to get into the Craven Country Jamboree campground early Wednesday afternoon.

A soggy start to the festival forced organizers to close the gates shortly after they opened on Tuesday. There had been concerns that heavy truck and RV traffic would ruin the dirt roads of the campground.
Caroline Saxon was part of a group of campers parked in the parking lot. (Brian Rodgers/CBC)

Campers who tried to get in Tuesday after 11 a.m. were turned away but were allowed to park overnight in the Evraz Place lot in Regina.

"We're here and there's no sense of grumbling because things aren't going to change," said Caroline Saxon.

She said she spent the night camping in the parking lot with about 20 other campers.

"We decided, you know, it's kind of quiet around here, let's take in a show," Saxon explained. "So, that's what we did — we went and had dinner and we came home and then it was time to start planning for today."

The Craven grounds have since dried up enough to let campers in.

Festival organizers said they only had to turn away a couple of dozen people.

The four-day country music festival, which features acts like Eric Church and Zac Brown Band, runs July 14-17.

With files from CBC's Brian Rodgers