Memorial Day Postponed

Hindsight is nearly always 20/20 as they say, and in the case of the rainy forecast for this weekend's fair it was a wise move to postpone to Sunday. One day made all the difference so yesterday we enjoyed bright blue skies and much warmer winds. And windy it was. By the time I got to the park to see if there was anything else needed for set up, the winds were gusting pretty good and the tents seemed to sway in the breeze. The red and white striped bunting and paper streamers were dangerously close to coming undone, but the mood was upbeat. Things might not be ideal, but at least it wasn't raining seemed to be the mantra of the day. And as the gates opened at noon and the stars and stripes was raised, there was definitely a sense that this holiday weekend might just come together. Nacho showed up with the girls and we enjoyed a couple of hours together hitting the bouncy houses and wandering around sampling the goods. Carolina wasn't thrilled by the cotton candy, but she liked the popcorn just fine. And Elisa was all bursts of energy as she raced around--getting her nails done and trying her hand at the ring toss--only pausing to wait in the lines that seemed to form at each bouncy attraction. After a few burgers and dogs, Nacho took Carolina back home to nap while I opted to stay put with Elisa.  She and her friends gathered around the 7 train stage after lunch to enjoy the clown which bought me a half hour of down time to chat with friends and enjoy the fair on my own.  

All in all, the fair probably had a slightly lower turn out than in years past, but it felt much less hectic and way more enjoyable. I suppose there's always a trade off, but hopefully it wasn't a loss for the park.  These kinds of fundraisers are essential for helping cover the ongoing costs of maintaining the park and  I really appreciate all the hard work that goes into them. Seeing how much time and effort our friends Julie and Dawn put into it was an eye opener. This kind of event doesn't happen on its own. And I think it was a real success in that for me at least, the feeling of our close knit community wasn't absent the way it can be sometimes when the public events seem to overwhelm the park. Seeing friends Jenny and Tracie who came back to Sunnyside for a visit with their kids was another treat.  It was exactly the kind of fun we needed to have to kick off this summer. Memorial Day success!