Juno weekend gets foggy kickoff

Preparations are coming together in St. John's for the annual Juno Awards, although fog and a spring storm have put a dent in many revellers' plans.

The Junos will be presented Sunday night at a gala in downtown St. John's. Included on the scheduledall-star roster are teen sensation Justin Bieber, crooner Michael Bubl, hip-hoppers Drake and K'naan, and rock bands Billy Talent, Metric and Blue Rodeo.

St. John's has been hosting scores of pre-awards events including a charity hockey game pitting rockers vs. star athletes in the days leading up to Sunday's finale at Mile One Centre.

However, a snowstorm on Thursday night, followed by a day of solid fog on Friday, hascomplicatedtravel plans, with some events scrambling when artists were unable to get to Newfoundland on time.

"We are engines full steam ahead," Juno spokesperson Chris McDowell said Friday.

"In fact, we've got artists rehearsing right now in Mile One, so we're going ahead. Obviously we've got some challenges with the weather, but as we see it right now, no one is cancelled there might be delays but we are going ahead, and it's going to be a great weekend.

"We'll deal with it and get by it."

Showcases, fan events, concerts and parties are being held throughout St. John's, where hotels are sold out and tickets for premium events are scarce.

Local businesses have been adjusting to the demands of the Juno contingents.

Brad Bastow, who manages Black Car Service, said the vehicle of choice for visiting performances is a high-end SUV and there aren't close to enough vehicles to meet the demand from record labels.

"They call up and they ask for five or six of them for the ceremony but unfortunately there just isn't that many in town," Bastow said.

"From what I understand, a lot of these guys are still shipping cars in from Toronto or having them driven down. Somebody told me that the Oceanex [shipping] service that comes in from Montreal doesn't have any space left for vehicles because the record companies are stuffing them full of sport utility vehicles."

Local organizers have dubbed the Juno-week celebrations "Ruckus on the Edge," and expect that the awards and related events will bring about $11 million to St. John's.