The wind blew, the overcast sky hinted at rain and cars steadily streamed into Clinton Lake State Park this morning as thousands of music fans arrived for the Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival.

Among them were Chris and Beth Lambe, making their second trip to the festival after attending it two years ago.

“I actually proposed to her here,” said Chris Lambe, as the Denver couple struggled against 40 mph wind gusts to set up their tent.

“I thought we were going to have a big kite,” Chris Lambe said, with a chuckle. “I think it will be all right.”

A short distance away, Matt Way, of Boston, and a few friends were setting up two tents. Way didn’t expect any problems holding it in place despite the wind.

“I’ve got plenty of stakes,” he said.

Way said he was attending the festival for the first time while on his way to Colorado to do some rock climbing.

Other activity this morning – on this first of the four-day festival – was at booths, where vendors were fastening down their products.

“Things will stay on the table but the wind is a pain in the butt,” said Misty Kiergaard, of St. Cloud, Fla., as she and Glenn Gray, of Boca Raton, Fla., set up the booth where they are selling lighted wires.

This year’s festival will feature more than 100 bands, and 15,000 people are expected to attend. Unlike the first day of last year’s festival, there were no law enforcement car checkpoints leading into the park, and traffic was light but steady. Festival security personnel were making their own car checks as vehicles arrived but there had been no problems this morning, festival spokeswoman Heather Lofflin said.

“When our security team does it, it’s a low-key deal,” Lofflin said.

Security is keeping an eye out for items that are not allowed at the festival, such as pets, fireworks, nitrous tanks, drugs and other illegal items.

Festival-goers could get wet this afternoon and tonight as thunderstorms are possible, said 6News meteorologist Matt Elwell. Friday and Saturday should be clear and dry with another chance for thunderstorms on Sunday, he said.

“Once the rain moves through the wind should die down,” Elwell said.