OMEGA — Even through pouring rain, the party didn’t stop at the Omega Pepper Festival this past weekend.

Though stormy clouds hung overhead and broke into rain on more than one occasion, the people of Omega and the surrounding area nevertheless celebrated the festival to the fullest throughout the weekend of Sept. 13.

Opening ceremonies kicked off Friday night, inviting patrons to get the party started at Ponder Park with performances from sierreño musical group Marca Distinta.

Festivities continued the next morning, sun attempting to peek out from behind the clouds, with the annual Pepper Parade down Alabama Avenue, with local churches, businesses, and schools participating through a float or by joining the procession on foot.

Afterwards, festival attendees were invited back to Ponder Park to explore the assortment of vendors dotting the park grounds.

While this year’s event may have had fewer vendors than previous showings, the collection of wares, services, and food being offered were diverse.

Local crafters and merchants offered patrons homegrown hot sauce and peppers, handmade plush toys and woodwork, and a variety of toys, trinkets, and activities to enjoy, among other things.

Anyone looking for a snack or refreshment had plenty of options to choose from as well, such as classic festival food, smoothies and shaved ice, barbecue, Mexican, and even Greek cuisine from one newcomer food vendor.

The festival’s kids zone was also just as lively this year, featuring two carnival rides, bounce houses, a horse ride attraction, and a petting zoo with an assortment of fuzzy farm animals and a less fuzzy tortoise.

At the park’s main stage, musicians and bands like the Page Boys, Dixie Divas, and the Tams put on performances across the afternoon, with the Mood Doctors serving as the opening act.

The threat of rain became a reality shortly into the afternoon as a faint sprinkling and then a drizzle kicked up, but the celebration continued in spite of the weather. Festival patrons simply brought out umbrellas or raincoats — or just soldiered through the rain — to continue enjoying their time at the festival, and many vendors had already come prepared with tents to protect themselves and their wares from the inclement weather.

A stronger downpour did halt the festivities for a brief period, vendors being forced to cover or seal up their merchandise to protect it from the rain and patrons clustering under tents and buildings, but within the hour the storm had cleared, and the celebrations continued well into the evening.

Cecile Gilliard, organizer for the Pepper Festival, expressed her satisfaction with the event despite the circumstances, a sentiment she gladly reported was shared among many of the vendors.

She noted that there were no concrete plans for next year’s Pepper Festival at the moment, but that the board overseeing it would aim to discuss their ideas for 2025’s run sometime in the future.