I don't go to many summer festivals. In fact, despite the fact there seems to be one on just about every weekend throughout the summer, I only go to one a year, and that's the Wolcott, NY Strawberry Festival, and I go despite the fact I absolutely despise strawberries.
The local school band plays. There's always a martial arts demonstration (this year one of the participants had a split in his pants, and every time he tumbled on the mats you could see his white underwear under this black martial arts outfit--and it wasn't the guy in this picture). Usually these martial arts demonstrations are kid heavy. But this year there were four adult (males) and four children (two boys, two girls) and an enthusiastic contingent rooting for them. (Wisely parked under the trees, sucking up the shade. Man, it was HOT AND HUMID.) Some of those guys have been going after their black belts (in various degrees) for between 17-27 years. Whoa! And I thought waiting 11 years to get published was a L-O-N-G time.
We always seem to time our arrival (around noon) in time for this demonstration, and this year was no different.
And for dessert, delicious (and utterly un-nutritious) fried dough. It's just what the name suggests. Fried bread dough, dipped in cinnamon sugar. Ooh! Yum!
On the other hand, hubby goes for the Strawberry Shortcake. It's a long story as to why I loathe strawberries (but in a nutshell: childhood illness, strawberry Jello, and prodigious amounts of vomit). Even the smell of them gives me the heebie-jeebies. But there sure were lots of folks chowing down on dessert and enjoying every bite.
The festival also features a raffle by the Historical Society (we visited their yard sale and I bought a Betty Crocker Pie and Pastry cookbook for a buck), some kind of bouncy (blown-up) thing kids enter (no shoes) and jump up and down in; wreck a car for a buck (yup--they give you a sledge hammer and you can bash away to your heart's content) crafters (heavy on jewelry and light on customers), baked food sale, and voter registration booth, with a demonstration on the new voting
All in all, it took about an hour.
I can't wait until next year's festival.