Dangerous weather threatens event-packed weekend in Central Florida

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Extreme weather in the forecast for this weekend is threatening some big events. 

Players at the Ritz for the PNC Championship were already getting a taste of the strong winds on Thursday.

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Dangerous weather threatens weekend events

Extreme weather in the forecast for this weekend is threatening some big events. Sanford's Jingle Jam has already been canceled as residents brace for the storm. The event typically brings thousands of people downtown with live music, food, and vendors. Now organizers say they're worried about safety, because of the potentially dangerous weather.

A spokesperson for the event told FOX 35 they moved up Saturday's start time to 7:30 a.m., hoping to get it done before the weather rolls in. There's still no work on Sunday, but organizers say they don't plan to push the event back.

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PNC Championship monitoring weekend weather

Extreme weather in the forecast for this weekend is threatening some big events. Players at the Ritz for the PNC Championship were already getting a taste of the strong winds on Thursday.

UCF's FBS Mortgage Stadium will be hosting the Cure Bowl on Saturday. Organizers are hoping it will be finished before the weather turns dangerous. They are working on some contingency plans just in case, especially for people battling cancer who will be at the March2Cure event.

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Sanford's Jingle Jam has already been canceled as residents brace for the storm.

The event typically brings thousands of people downtown with live music, food, and vendors. Now organizers say they're worried about safety, because of the potentially dangerous weather.

This is the second time the event has been canceled this year. Over the summer, it was called off when event promoters said there were too many regulations and costs.

"The emotional roller coaster of this event, all this planning throughout the year, us not being able to get funding," said Christina Hollerbach, the president of Sanford Main Street. "From getting the community’s support and then getting the funding, for it to be canceled due to weather is just so painful."

It's an event small businesses count on every year. Hollerbach, who also runs a restaurant in town, says some could be dealing with flooding instead now.

"The impact for businesses is severe because especially with weather issues, people don’t end up leaving their homes on weekends that normally we’re having these killer sales moments and having all these wonderful Christmas memories," Hollerbach said. "It’s just gone, and it ruins small businesses."

Organizers say they do plan to bring back Jingle Jam in 2024. In the meantime, they're encouraging people to support small businesses that are missing out.

This weekend, the Orlando area is hosting some major sporting events.