Festival Weekend

This weekend we had our local carnival-festival. Now some people complain about the noise, the kids, the hassles etc (not to mention the drunken woman who was arrested for walking through town in her birthday suit) but I kind of like it, in fact I really enjoy it.

I don't so much care for the carnival rides etc. but I do enjoy the shows and watching competitions. The craftsmen displays are really great as is the swordplay by the local members of the Society for Creative Anachronisms (which I have several times been asked to join but have declined for lack of time). In fact I was drooling over some old weaponry that was for sale and was seriously considering buying an (unofficial) replica of Aragorn's sword from The Lord of the Rings movie, but what would I do with a longsword? Common sense won the day and I did not purchase it.

There were a number of outdoor concerts, including two great heavy metal bands that I really liked (one secular the other Christian.)

Sadly we had a cloudburst that virtually ruined our parade.

I also liked talking to a lot of the travelling merchants. One was an Ojibwa or better known as Chippewa who was selling traditional handmade jewelry. He absolutely despised what the casinos were doing to his people. He told me that it gives the young people no sense of accomplishment and no pride in themselves and their work. He ranted that yes the money was good for the tribe when used for the tribe but just handing it out to kids who have no idea of work, pride, struggle or craftsmanship was "worse than poverty" because it ruined them. His wife sat and firmly nodded at everything he said.

There were also a few... er ... let's call em "travelling evangelists" and they ranged from quite knowledgable and sensible, yet dedicated to downright crazy. I never realized how many of these men travelled along side of, but not part of, carnivals. The crazy ones were just entertainment but there were a few that were genuinely worth listening to.

All told it was a great weekend, but it got of put a damper on posting.