Fest

Gallery Girl Jen and Me.
She's Awesome and her Art is Part of my Life Every Day

When I am engaged in the arts, my soul is happy.

Friends have been texting me to ask how Arts Fest was this year and if I was able to go, so I thought it was high time I just wrote a blog post about it!

I really enjoyed Fest this year and, for the most part, the weather even cooperated!

The Street Where We Found all of Our Goodies This Year

Our favorite day and time to go to Fest is Thursday evening--when all of the locals are out and before town is packed full to the brim with people.

We headed down to the Maine Bay and Berry Company food stand for 'naked' lobster rolls, while sitting in the parklet listening to the Zeropoint Big Band. Delicious!

Afterwards, I was able to walk around about half of the festival (about an hour) before I needed to stop, and we headed to hear some music in the church by the Celtic group, Poor Man's Gambit. Such incredible talent!

John and Shirley Furches
Purchased Something for a Friend!

We were able to go back to Fest again on Friday evening, too! This time, we just walked the campus part of the festival and I found a pair of umbrella seed pod stud earrings that I purchased. 

I admit that I was too tired to make it back to the car by the time we had walked for 1 1/2 hours, and waited for Mom to go get the car and pick me up!

Kate!

Still, I managed to make the turnaround to go see a Saturday afternoon performance by a friend's son--circus work like the swing, straps and silks with ballet and acrobatics. It was amazing.

Afterwards, Kate picked me up downtown and headed back to my house to catch up a bit. I was getting a bit sleepy on her (sorry, Kate!), but will see her again soon for our 25th high school reunion.

Candiss Cole--Proud Owner of Two of Her Dresses!

Sunday was quite hot, but I really wanted to go back to purchase an item for a friend from the couple in the photo above. I'd seen it on Friday and just had to go back for it!

Then, we ended up stopping at a favorite booth of mine--and trying on dresses. Mom got me the one I'm wearing in the picture above as an early birthday present. :) 

I think I will wear it to services tonight! 

On Monday, I was able to manage well even after all that we did and got to see Miss Lana for lunch. Love her in her shades! :)

Lunch with Lana

Instead of focusing only on the artists booths this year, Mom and I decided to take in some of the food and the entertainment, and I'm so glad that we mixed things up because every part of Fest that we got to be a part of was perfect.

Another great year of Fest in the books! It's hard to believe I've known some of these artists--particularly Gallery Girl Jen whose art is in my bathroom--since I started being able to go to Fest a few years ago in the Rolls. One of my favorite parts of Fest is meeting the artist and chatting with them year after year.

There are so many wonderful things about living where we do that it's hard to choose the best of the best, but Fest has been a part of my life since I was a little girl and the memories of it are fond and enduring--the ring I found for my 21st birthday and still wear; the times we spent with friends on Old Main lawn listening to music and dancing; the jewelry I've found the past few years and the artists I've come to know; the friends who come to town every year for Fest; the artwork I've saved to buy and decorated my room with; the time I've spent with my mom walking around Fest, even as a little girl; the strawberry smoothies and ice cream we always ate on hot days; the years I marched in the parade; the years I sold my own homemade items during Children's Day. 

Thank you, Fest.

Blessings,

Emily