Whew!

What a week it’s been, as Ballet under the Stars, the high school’s Homecoming celebration and Oktoberfest all came at virtually the same time.

I decided to stop on the Avenue of the Fountains on my way home from the office Wednesday to catch the Homecoming parade.

It’s turned into a nice annual tradition, a unique way for the high school to strut its stuff along with some other schools and organizations in town.

It’s unfortunate more folks don’t show up to cheer on the sports teams, FHHS royalty, marching band, class floats and more (oh, yeah, don’t forget all the elected officials that ride in fancy convertibles and such).

Even though my youngest son is already two years removed from high school, it’s good to see some familiar faces and support young people at a festive event.

It’s a true “hometown” celebration that helps make Fountain Hills special – at least I think so.

As usual, the Ballet Arizona performance at Fountain Park Thursday evening was graceful and impressive.

Thousands showed up for the free performance, many from out of town. This was the seventh straight year the ballet performed here as part of its annual series, so kudos to all those responsible for bringing it back year after year.

Fountain Park has to be the most impressive backdrop for the ballet troupe among its many outdoor performances (two other shows were canceled this season due to inclement weather).

Speaking of inclement weather, unfortunately the highlight of the busy weekend was the massive and unusual storm that slammed the Valley on Saturday afternoon.

Oktoberfest organizers were hopeful that the initial storm around 4 a.m. Saturday was going to be it. That storm brought some wind, rain and plenty of lightning and thunder, but turns out it was just a mild precursor of things to come.

As the day rolled on, the moisture-laden sky became more and more ominous.

By mid-afternoon Saturday the storm hit with a vengeance – downing power lines in the Valley, a ton of trees and, of course, flooding the Oktoberfest venue.

I’ve been told runoff water from Saguaro Blvd. was cascading over the sidewalk and down the grass slope in Fountain Park right into the miniature “bowl” where Oktoberfest was set up.

The flow continued over another sidewalk and into Fountain Lake, totally wiping out the Saturday evening event.

After sloshing around in the mess to get pictures, I’m thinking CNN will be calling soon. I, too, can don a rain slicker and cover a terrible storm or a hurricane with the best of them. And I didn’t even have a rain slicker for “Flood Fest 2014.”

Probably should have – plus something to protect my cameras – but maybe CNN will throw those things into my contract.