By Sarah Gallaher | Staff Writer
Due to inclement weather, Baylor’s annual Christmas on Fifth celebration has been postponed to Dec. 4. The event, which was originally planned to take place Thursday, hosts a variety of vendors and activities, many of which take place outside.
According to Jordy Dickey, the director of Student Activities, the planning committee did not want to postpone the event, but the worsening weather predictions made it unsafe for staff and vendors.
Although 90% of the events planned will still take place on Dec. 4, Dickey said a few have been canceled altogether due to scheduling issues with vendors. The live camels, the carriage ride and the crafting stations will not be present at this year’s Christmas on Fifth. An updated schedule of events is available on the Christmas on Fifth website.
“Our process is we evaluate the weather about a week in advance before the program, and we could see that we had rain on the horizon for Thursday,” Dickey said. “Each day, the weather has increased significantly, predicting rain, thunder, lightning and now hail, all the way up until the start time of the program, which would impact our ability to set up.
A statement posted to the Christmas on Fifth website said the decision was not made lightly and “there are no Bears more disappointed to change our plans than those who have spent the past 12 months planning the event.”
Dickey said the event could not take place on Friday or Saturday due to the availability of vendors — many of whom will also be working the Waco Wonderland celebration that takes place from Friday to Sunday.
“It really started to impact all the beautiful elements of the program that we’ve come to know and love, and so recognizing that we have such a significant threat of inclement weather, we felt that it was best to pivot the event and preserve as much of it as we could,” Dickey said.
The schedule change impacts pre-existing plans for many, but the weather made it too dangerous to maintain the original date.
“I was a bit disappointed because I had plans to go with friends,” Fort Worth sophomore Carolina Rey said. “Monday is going to be a more hectic day for me, but I’m still planning on going. I understand why it had to be postponed.”
For those who plan to attend on Dec. 4, Dickey said they will still experience the festive traditions associated with Christmas on Fifth, such as the tree lighting and the vendor fair.
“It’s going to be a great program, and we’re just really excited for the opportunity to still put it on. That’s what matters,” Dickey said.
