By Dawn Burleigh

The Orange Leader

The show will go on even with the fishing tournament possibly being delayed a day.

Due to weather conditions in and around Orange, B.A.S.S. has decided to delay the start of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River presented by Econo Lodge, according to a press release.

“We have conferred with authorities there to get the best information and forecasts we can,” Tournament Director Trip Weldon said in a note to Elite Anglers Thursday. “River levels are predicted to crest along the Sabine and Neches sometime tomorrow or Saturday, depending on the location.”

Weldon said B.A.S.S. will continue to monitor the situation and talk to authorities prior to making a decision Monday whether to hold the event next week.

He said “safety is the utmost consideration” and may require postponing the event until sometime further into the future.

If the tournament begins next week, practice days will be Wednesday-Friday and competition will be held on Saturday-Tuesday. Competition was originally scheduled to begin Friday.

Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce Ida Schossow said all scheduled events such as the festival and concerts will continue as scheduled.

“The fisherman will still be here on Friday,” Schossow said in a phone interview. “Friday will be a practice day instead of the start of the tournament.”

Schossaw added they will know more Monday after meeting with Bassmaster.

“The festival and the concerts are still scheduled for Friday,” Schossaw said. “The tournament is expected to start on Saturday and end on Tuesday at this time.”

A ribbon cutting for the Orange County River Festival is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at the City of Orange Boat Ramp.

Dustin Sonnier will open at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 6, at the Festival Grounds followed by is The Mixed Nuts from 8 p.m. – 10 p.m., both are sponsored by INVISTA.

On Saturday, The Curse and The Cure will take the stage from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. followed by headliner country music artist and Orange County native Tracy Byrd at 7 p.m. Entergy sponsors both Saturday concerts.

All four concerts are free.