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AREA CLOSINGS: Check our closings database for early school dismissals and event cancellations before you head out in the snow. >>

Rain keeps crowds away

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By Olivia Moran | Wednesday, July 18, 2007 |

Jeff Cook/QUAD-CITY TIMES Nichole Cattron, 13, of Ellisville, and Cameron Snyder, 13, of Monmouth, show off their Montadal sheep during Tuesday’s competition at the Rock Island County Fair in East Moline. Other events were rained out.

A dark cloud loomed over the Rock Island County Fair on Tuesday when officials opened the gates to a day of thunderstorms, saying that first-day attendance was down from last year.

The fair is located at Archer Drive and 42nd Avenue in East Moline and is set to last until July 21. Even more rain is in the forecast for today and tomorrow.

Some events like barrow, sheep and floricultural judging still went on, said Dennis VanDaele, the event’s president. But the event attracted nowhere near the usual 2,000 visitors on opening day. “There’s virtually nobody,” he said. “You could shoot a cannon down here and not hit anybody.”

NASCAR star Clint Bowyer was set to take part in the Grandstand Auto Racing event on Tuesday, however the event was postponed until an indefinite date.

Today’s activities include a kid’s carnival day and more grandstand racing, which could also be postponed, VanDaele said.

Lightning is what officials are really worried about. VanDaele used the 2006 Rock Island County Fair as an example, which experienced dangerous lightning storms.

VanDaele said that if the rain continues, some events simply won’t happen.

In related news, as of 7 p.m., the Quad-City International Airport in Moline had received 1.97 inches of rainfall, while 1.25 inches was counted at the Davenport Municipal Airport in Mount Joy, said Bill Elliott, a technician with the National Weather Service in the Quad-Cities.

Although there weren’t any widespread flooding incidents, a flood advisory remains in effect until Thursday for the Wapsipinicon River in DeWitt, where Elliott said he expects the river to remain below flood stage at this time.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.