ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Royal Oak's Winter Blast is off next weekend. Event planners are worried cold weather will deter people from going.
They've decided to push back two weeks for safety purposes and to help local businesses.
7 First Alert Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes predicted the forecast had a lot to do with the postponement. There’s a possibility for dangerously cold temperatures.
Event planners made this call because they want people to have fun and not get frostbite.
"Friday, Saturday, Sunday a lot of people come in," said Kenny Yan, the owner of Winter Blast.
Winter Blast is something Yan looks forward to.
Last year, business was booming and he was counting on another lucrative weekend.
"I am really glad they made a decision and pushed it back two weeks," Yan said.
Originally, Winter Blast was scheduled for Feb. 4 through Feb. 7, but some weather models showed wind chill could be as cold as negative 2 degrees.
"We got some long-term forecasts including from Kevin Jeanes, which was very appreciative that there was a chance of some decent arctic temperatures," Witz said.
Witz is the event's promoter. He says if the temperatures plummet, so will the attendance.
"We've experienced those types of weekends in Detroit and we would literally go from 25,000 to 400 when you have that type of weather — and that weather might not happen," Witz said.
Witz admited pushing the event back two weeks was a bit of a gamble.
He says the decision was a collaborative one between vendors and city commissioners.
"I can't have my kids out in negative 2-degree wind chill for more than a few minutes without them getting frostbite," Royal Oak Commissioner Brandon Kolo said. "We want them to enjoy the outside."
In addition to free ice skating, the event has food trucks, sledding and other family-friendly activities.
Yan is hoping attendees will work up an appetite for Vera Asian.
"I think this is a really good decision because with cold weather, I don't think people would come outside, especially to an event outdoors," Yan said.
In partnership with Mt. Brighton, Winter Blast will have skiing and snowboarding this year.
The new dates for the event are Feb. 17 though Feb. 19.
