KIMMSWICK, Mo. — For the very first time, Kimmswick has canceled its Strawberry Festival.
Flooding covered Highway K and a levee is blocking Windsor Harbor Bridge, leaving the city with one entry and exit.
Since there's only one way to get in, Mayor Phil Stang wanted to make sure everyone is safe. A major concern is an emergency situation.
"Every festival, we had a heat stroke or heart attack, we would be desperate on how to get emergency care," he said.
Even though the event is canceled, the worrying doesn't stop. Financially, this festival is one of the city's breadwinners.
"The strawberry festival is about 25% of our total budget," Stang said.
Restaurants and shops were expecting 50,000 visitors. But now, these small business owners won't see the influx.
The Cheese Shack, who's new to town, was ready for the crowds. Owner Tina Butler says,
"We were extremely excited," owner Tina Butler said. "We were actually prepping for it, we had asked all of our employees to work both days."
The festival may be off, but businesses will be open.
The Blue Owl, which has been in Kimmswick for more than 30 years, is still optimistic.
"The fact that it's been canceled may just make our festival next year twice as big because everybody is going to be looking forward to it," Owner Mary Hostetter said.
Kimmswick also makes their own original recipe of strawberry jam. They have more than 600 jars, which they were ready to sell next weekend. Instead, they are being sold at City Hall or Sugar Shack.