RED WING, Minn. - The countdown to fall festivities is underway in Red Wing.
"Everyone's ready for fall," says Sam Bengs with the Red Wing Visitor's Bureau. "We are known for our gorgeous color and it brings tourists to town."
This year's early spring and hot, dry summer, however, may take a toll on this year's fall foliage. Experts suggest the vibrant colors could come several weeks earlier and be short lived. A scenario like that would put a damper on cities, like Red Wing, that rely on visitor's looking for the reds, yellows, and oranges.
"Our fall arts festival is one of the best weekends of the year," says Bengs. "We close the roads and people from all over are in town. It would be disappointing if we didn't have a normal fall."
City officials gear up for thousands of tourists each year and many of the business on Main Street prepare for the season's tourists.
"We hope it's not the case," admits Dave Lewis, co-owner of Sargent's Nursery in Red Wing. "We can't control Mother Nature, but we hope for an extension to the season.
Here are guides to Minnesota fall colors and Wisconsin fall colors.
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