The Lawrence Art Guild deserves the community’s thanks for the many years it has sponsored Art in the Park and other worthy events.

That being said, however, it’s disappointing that organizers didn’t have a plan to deal with the possibility of rain in Lawrence on May 6.

For many years, the Guild had routinely scheduled Art in the Park on the first Sunday of May but held the next Sunday open as a rain date. If it rained both Sundays the event was canceled, but having two dates doubled the chances that artists would be able to sell their wares and residents would be able to enjoy the exhibits.

After last Sunday’s rain-out, organizers said the cost of holding the park open on the second Sunday had become prohibitive for the city. Really? How much money does the city expect to make off South Park this Sunday? Is it enough to justify refusing to accommodate a Lawrence tradition like Art in the Park?

Perhaps the Art Guild didn’t want to deal with rescheduling or feared that many artists wouldn’t show up for the makeup date. Maybe they were worried about competing with other events this weekend. If any of those factors influenced their decision, organizers should be up front about their reasons for canceling the event.

This weekend’s beautiful weather forecast makes the decision to cancel Art in the Park look even worse. The city and the Art Guild should rethink their planning before next year.