Summer Time Festival Time!

Festival Time!

Ah, it’s been a great Summer. Besides teaching my social media and email marketing and event marketing classes, I’ve taken some time to visit the Oregon Country Faire and the NorthWest String Summit (Strummit).  What a fine way to spend a Summer – music festivals.

Oregon Country Fair this year was marvelous – it’s a great mixture of friends, new friends, and lots of costumes, and great food and music. I was part of booth L48 – Wileyware!  And, walking around the pathways at night, so so sweet. Then, there’s the Ritz, a huge shower and sauna complex – I like to visit that daily. I had a great time at Fair this year and even got to march in a black & white Risk of Change parade. Fun city!

The following weekend I attended the Northwest String Summit @ Horning’s Hideout. A venue very close to home – spent the weekend playing guitar with my friend, Steve Bennett, and then hearing folks like Danny Barnes, Darryl Anger, Todd Law, and the Yonder Mountain String Band and Leftover Salmon – all so good. It was a very sweet time and I definitely will be going back again next year.

Next up I have a little camping coming and then the Beloved Festival – one of my favorite all-time festivals – full of music, great food, and lots of deep connections with old friends.  Then, there’s Burning Man.  And taking care of the garden. And the world. Life is good!

I just learned yesterday that my friend Brenda, who’s tried out Farm My Yard (her lawn has been removed and now has been planted) – will sell her yard’s produce to a local convenience store – talk about making a papa proud!  Farm My Yard – I shall make signs one of these days and get that puppy going, I promise.

I hope you’re having a great Summer. Here are some sweet photos that a friend took at Strummit). Take care! Albert

AK 2 @ NWSS Carlton AK NWSS Jumpsuit
I’ve been wearing the same outfit every night on the playa for 14 years. Now, I’m wearing it at all festivals – love it!

 

Oregon Country Fair 2010

Oregon Country Fair 2010

Well, that was fun!  I just got back last night from this year’s experiment in family, art, music, craft, thought, science, and transitioning to a different way of thinking and being – The Oregon Country FairThis year I worked in the Wileyware booth, helping Marcia Wiley show off her beautiful glasses, taking pictures, fetching lemonade and carousing with our booth mates – Michele, Lori, Dave, Nicky, Olivia, Teresa and their friends.  Lots of people stopped by to say hi, give a hug and share smiles and stories.  At night the Faire becomes a special place with little parties in booths, lots of great food, The Ritz (my favorite place at the Fair) and time to wander the pathways through the forest to the background of a variety of music and special lighting. The Fair has become a very special place for me.  One where I get to reconnect with those that I’ve known the longest out here – Todd Pawolski from Klamath Falls, Amira from Brownsville, Michael Townsend from Eugene and people who I see only at Pacific Northwest Festivals like the Summer Solstice Healing Retreat at Breitenbush, Beloved, Burning Man and Northwest Folklife.  The weather cooperated this year – hot days, and warm evenings. Even Monday’s barter fair which is a special tradition was blessed with overcast weather for much of the time, making walking amongst the various vendors easy on the skin as there’s no shade and it can get hot out in that field.  My feet hurt!  So much walking, and talking, and playing the guitar and flirting and fun!  Yeah!  Here are a few pictures from in front of our booth to whet your whistle.  Thanks to the Oregon Country Fair staff and volunteers for making this year’s Fair fantastic!  A tired, sunburnt, and happy Albert

Fair Pics #1Fair Pics #2Fair Pics #3Fair Pics #4