Foul fall weather leads to slump in sales for Winnipeg-area attractions

From rain storms to early snowfall and colder than normal daytime temperatures, weather this fall has put a damper on business for Winnipeg-area outdoor adventures.

Clint Masse of A-Maze-In-Corn told 680 CJOB it’s probably their worst fall in ten years.

Masse calls it a perfect storm: too hot in August and now too cool in the fall. He notes that nature tends to balance itself out and thought this might happen since there was so little precipitation over the summer.

RELATED: Lack of rain in forecast could impact Manitoba farmers

He also says it’s no surprise that outside venues don’t do well in poor conditions.

“Half of what we sell is weather. If you don’t have weather to sell, then unfortunately, the folks of Winnipeg just want to stay inside.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Half of what we sell is weather. If you don't have weather to sell, then unfortunately, the folks of Winnipeg just want to stay inside."

He says that even on the days when it doesn’t rain — or snow — it’s been dreary enough that things don’t dry out properly.

RELATED: More than a month’s worth of rain falls overnight in Winnipeg

Melody Schwabe, of Schwabe Pumpkins in St. Andrews, said the hot dry summer followed by recent cold conditions has taken a toll.

“I’m thinking that were down about 50 per cent in people coming to the farm and in sales,” Schwabe said. “I haven’t seen a year like this since about 2004 when I started this. This is about the coldest October I’ve experienced.”

She said they cater to young families, who are less likely to make the trip if it means being out in the cold.

“You don’t want to stay out in the cold as long to take pictures and just enjoy playing here as long. So people are kind of coming and picking out their pumpkins quickly and leaving.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "You don't want to stay out in the cold as long to take pictures and just enjoy playing here as long. So people are kind of coming and picking out their pumpkins quickly and leaving."

She said some days, no one shows up at all.

RELATED: Mike’s Monday Outlook: cool, wet conditions continue

Vince Rattai is the owner of Deer Meadow Farms. He says they haven’t seen the sales they were hoping for this fall.

“Everyone’s suffering, not just the people in the corn maze business,” he said.

“Definitely for weather it’s the worse. We make money because we have some corporate groups and we have been able to run some indoor stuff with animals in the barn.”

WATCH: Global’s Amber McGuckin spoke with Winnipeg-area farmers 

1:17 Foul fall weather leads to slump in sales for Winnipeg-area attractions