Storms Close Naperville Ribfest For 3rd Time In 2 Days
CHICAGO (CBS) -- For the third time in two days, storms have prompted officials to temporarily close Naperville Ribfest.
A fast-moving cell of thunderstorms was moving through Naperville early Thursday afternoon. The storms prompted officials to close Knoch Park around 1:30 p.m.
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Cook, DuPage, and Will counties until 2:30 p.m.
#Naperville #Ribfest is closed AGAIN. Third time in 2 days that @NaperRibfest is hit with heavy rains, thunderstorms. Organizers hope to re-open soon. Video is storm in #Naperville on way to the park. @cbschicago #chicagowx #napervilleIL #chicagoland #ChicagoWX #chicagoweather pic.twitter.com/cfJGheT2XB
— LAUREN VICTORY (@LaurenVictory) July 5, 2018
Ribfest officials said they hoped to reopen soon, but several tents were damaged or destroyed by the storm. Heavy winds that blew through Thursday afternoon tossed vendor tents around the festival grounds
#BREAKING: Bad #storm that swept through #Naperville within last hour decimated some tents at #NapervilleRibfest. @NaperRibfest is closed until further notice. #napervilleIL #NapervilleIllinois #Ribfest #Naperville @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/9nZfCxYheX
— LAUREN VICTORY (@LaurenVictory) July 5, 2018
The festival was closed twice on Wednesday due to the storms, once from about 5:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and then again at about 8:45 p.m. for the rest of the night, cancelling the July 4th fireworks display.
The fireworks have been rescheduled for 9:30 p.m. Thursday.