random thoughts – Day 1,228 – (Friday) – folk fest friday

Folk Fest opening night was ushered in with a heat advisory in effect from Thursday at 11:00 am until Saturday at 8:00 pm. And a parade. It usually begins with a parade that I haven’t managed to see yet.

All day long, I thought about heading downtown after work and imagined the food I might have for supper. Burmese? Greek? Filipino? Something else from the wide selection? The ethnic food is always popular, and sometimes the vendors run out on Saturday, so this would be the ideal time to make sure I got what I want.

At 5:45, while feeding Winston, I was suddenly bordering on hangry. It always sneaks up like that. There would be no waiting until downtown for food. A new favorite fast food, frozen steamed dumplings, was in and out of the microwave in one minute and 45 seconds. Definitely the fastest fast food I know.

After thinking about it all day, I was suddenly less into going to Folk Fest. I almost let myself slip into the usual pattern of sitting at home, but then thought there would be regret for not going, but probably not for going. Footwear was changed from sandals to walking around shoes, a pee band was put on Winston, keys and phone and bank card and license were grabbed and a trip was made across the river.

From the garage roof.

The parking garage was full up to the fourth floor, but I wanted to go to the roof, so it didn’t matter. For years, I’ve been meaning to go up there for the sixth level view and when I arrived, the sun was low and the light was pretty. A man’s voice wafted up from the block on John Street with the food trucks. The words weren’t clear, except for “Jesus” which several times penetrated the muggy air and pauses in the music of the band playing at Boarding House Park. 

Boarding House Park was packed with lawn chairs and people, and more people queued up at the food tents outside the park. The streets were crowded, but a good level of crowded and not mobbed like it will be tomorrow. The cooling stations refreshed the people who walked through them.

The Dance Pavilion was hopping.

At City Hall Plaza, the opposite edge of the festival from Boarding House Park, a Cajun Band played under the Dance Pavilion. People danced under the tent and in the street. The chairs under the tent were filled, as was the wall along the sidewalk around the Plaza. Food tents filled the concrete plaza outside City Hall.

A block away from City Hall Plaza, a band played at Cobblestones and people filled the street there enjoying food and beverages. A couple blocks further, a band played in the doorway of Fuse Bistro and filled Palmer Street with rock songs while people filled the sidewalk seating.

On the bridge headed home.

All the activity was just a portion of the full festival on Saturday and Sunday. In the parking lot of the bank, workers assembled tents for the artists and other vendors that will set up on Saturday and Sunday. Stages were set up and ready on the lawn at St. Anne’s Episcopal and over on Market Street.

After walking around for an hour or so, it felt like time to head home, across the river via the illuminated bridge on Bridge Street. People walked over the bridge towards downtown  and the festival, which still had an hour to go.