The Winter Droving appears to have taken its bad luck up the A6 to Carlisle, with Eden Arts forced to cancel its rebranded carnival less than 24 hours before the event was due to take place as Storm Boelo threatens to batter Cumbria with winds of up to 80mph.
For the second year running, Eden Arts has been forced to pull the plug on its Droving event at the eleventh hour, with the latest cancellation coming just weeks after the controversial decision to move the traditional Penrith Winter Droving to Carlisle.
The event, rebranded as Carlisle Carnival following the move north, was due to take place on Saturday, but forecasts of winds reaching 65mph, with potentially damaging gusts of up to 80mph, have brought the organisers' plans to an abrupt halt.
It is another blow for Eden Arts, which has faced weeks of criticism following its announcement that the Winter Droving would not be taking place in Penrith this year after 14 editions of the popular autumn event in the town.
The organisation blamed a £20,000 funding shortfall for the decision to abandon Penrith in favour of Carlisle, where it had planned to stage a new carnival event instead.
The move sparked significant criticism and condemnation locally, with many questioning why an event that had become such an established part of Penrith's calendar was being relocated rather than efforts being made to keep it in the town.
But while Eden Arts was preparing to take its carnival to Carlisle, businesses and residents in Penrith were determined that the town would not be left without an event on what would traditionally have been Winter Droving weekend.
That determination led to the creation of The Gathering, a grassroots community event organised at short notice to bring entertainment, activities and visitors into Penrith despite the loss of the Winter Droving.
And in a twist of fortune, while the Carlisle Carnival has now fallen victim to Storm Beolo, The Gathering in Penrith is still set to go ahead on Saturday, with organisers having already arranged alternative indoor venues should the weather threaten the planned entertainment and activities.
Those contingency plans could prove crucial as the storm moves across the region, bringing the prospect of damaging winds and disruption to outdoor events throughout the weekend.
The cancellation of Carlisle Carnival marks another frustrating chapter in the recent history of the Winter Droving, with the event now suffering last-minute cancellations for two consecutive years.
For Eden Arts, the decision will be particularly disappointing after the controversy surrounding the move from Penrith and the organisation's hopes of establishing its new Carlisle event.
Eden Arts director Adrian Lochhead said: "Obviously, we are gutted that we have had to make this decision, but our primary concern has to be keeping people safe. A lot of hard work has gone into the event and we will be working on it for a future date.
"The event had been insured against cancellations caused by bad weather." He added.
We thank all the members of the community, traders, artists and local businesses who have supported this event, and look forward to seeing you all next year.
For Penrith, however, attention now turns to The Gathering and whether the community-led replacement can succeed in bringing people into the town despite the stormy conditions.
With the traditional Droving gone from Penrith, the Carlisle replacement cancelled and the weather threatening to cause further disruption, it seems the Winter Droving jinx has struck once again.
The Gathering organisers are continuing with plans for Saturday's event in Penrith, with alternative venues available if the weather forces changes to the programme.
Visitors are advised to keep an eye on announcements from organisers for any changes to planned activities as Storm Beolo approaches.
Then select "Add to Home Screen"
