The Arts Fair Comes to Town

Another name for this post could easily be “Photos of Strangers.”  That’s right, but I cropped them out.  I didn’t know any of them, but they were in my photos.  But when you are dealing with 60,000 people, those things happen.  Yep.  There were 60,000 people in the usually quiet, tranquil park across from our house this past week-end.  They weren’t there all at one time, thank goodness, and they were an orderly bunch.  Actually, we wouldn’t have even known that the annual Woodland Arts Fair was going on if we had stayed inside, but that wouldn’t have been any fun.

 

Sponsored by the local arts council, the fair is an annual event held on the same week-end every August.  All of the exhibitors are juried, and they bring in a huge variety of talented artists who create jewelry,  oil paintings, water colors, pottery, jewelry, copper ware, glass creations, and did I mention jewelry.

Great food trucks also show up offering delish fair food including the obligatory funnel cakes.  We always, or I should say, I always go to the fair twice.  Once, with Mr. Right when we practically run through.  This is his second year in a row to go, which is major, but it is just not his thing.  So, we get in, and we get out.  Then I go back on the second day alone and really look over what the craftsmen have to offer.

 

 

One of my favorite parts of the fair is the dogs that are in all shapes, sizes, and colors – just like their owners.  I enjoy watching them as much as I enjoy the art.

 

 

I want to give a big shout-out to the owners of these two cuties.  (You can see the owner’s feet there, but I cropped out the rest of them.  Sorry, owners.)  These two dogs immediately either sat or lay down every time they saw another dog until their owner said they could get up and approach the other dog.  Needless to say, they did a lot of sitting and lying, but how smart is that?  These dogs are BIG, and I guess they can be intimidating.  But by hunkering down, they didn’t look as threatening.  And let me tell you – they were so sweet.  I decided they deserved their very own photo rather than be included in the collage.

 

 

I didn’t buy one item at the fair.  It’s nice to know that all of these creations are really just stuff.  I don’t mean to minimalize the talent, time, and creative thought that went into every item, but I just didn’t need anything.  I have bought gifts in the past, but this year nothing was calling my name.  We love the week-end, though, because we always run into old friends that we don’t see often, and the neighborhood shops bring their items out to the streets to sell.  The local church sells spots for artists who didn’t make it into the big show, and the restaurants offer specials.  Really, it is a big old party for all of us.

 

 

And speaking of parties, some of our neighbors joined us on our stoop Saturday evening for some wine and people watching.  It was a great time, and we sort of knew what it felt like back in the day to sit on a front porch and watch the world pass by.  We all agreed to do it again – even when the fair isn’t in town.

 

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Take care.