Adventure Time, Lilac Festival

Each year, in Rochester, NY, there is what is called the Lilac Festival. It is held in a rather large park called Highland Park. The park is a beautiful place to walk with lots of lilacs and various other flowering plants and trees. It really is a nice place! This was Fungeezer’s adventure time this last weekend. I know, I need to get some better adventures! Really, this was not bad!

The thing about these kinds of annual celebrations is that the weather and the plants, whatever they may be, seldom cooperate. More years than not, the lilacs have come and gone, or are not quite in full bloom yet. I used to live near Holland MI, and they have an annual tulip festival. I have seen it when there is nothing left of the tulips but a green stem. Lovely! This year, the lilacs were past their prime, but the festival was pretty nice all the same. The main attraction for my wife and daughter-in-law, who went along, was the craft show. I would guess they have over a hundred vendors there and it is pretty interesting. I love to people watch so I am afforded lots to look at myself.

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Now I have two small complaints to voice here. The first is, when something like this is being planned, why don’t they take into consideration the amount of people that usually attend verses the area designated for the booths? There were literally thousands of people at this thing and the area to walk between booths was just a little wider than a normal sidewalk. We were so jambed in there it was like cattle going to market! Moo!!!

The second thing is, well, ladies, if you don’t want guys looking at your ti.. ah, breasts, then don’t hang ‘em out there. It wasn’t that warm, but there were lots of young and old ladies with enough chest flesh showing to make it hard not to look. If they catch you looking, then you get this look returned like you are pervert #1 and should have your picture hanging on the post office wall. Look ladies, we’re guys. When we see ti.. ah, breasts exposed, like a moth drawn to a flame, we are gonna look. Women say, “My face is up here.” Well, when I’m standing right next to the Grand Canyon, I don’t wanna look at the trees, no matter how beautiful they are. You don’t want us to look at them? Don’t let ‘em hang out there! It really is simple! Enough whining!

The festival has an outside stage where music is played throughout the day for free and there is a nice grassy knoll to sit on and watch the performers. The music is pretty good usually. We sat and ate, oh yeah, there’s lots of food too, and listened to a R&B band play, they were good, I just wished they would let me up there to play a little harp for them!

As far as adventure time goes, the lilac festival was OK. I mean, it isn’t bungee jumping or hang gliding, but it is better than mowing the lawn! I could have done with a little more sitting and listening to bands and eating a little more of that great carny style health food. You just know your going to have a coronary any minute.

We took out daughter-in-law with us and she is a jewelry maker, so instead of listening, I wandered with them looking at crafts (OK, if you read the paragraph a couple up, you know what I was looking at!). It is interesting to talk to some of the crafts people at their booths. I love it when they are really outgoing and friendly, not pushing their stuff, just friendly and willing to talk. It makes it much more enjoyable and makes me more inclined to part with my hard earned cash. I remember once a couple of guys were having a great time. They had a huge tub of beer sitting in ice right out front of their booth. My friend and I asked how much for a beer, it was really hot outside. They said they couldn’t sell beer, no license. They were selling these handle things that clipped onto a can of beer, or pop, and made it like a mug. They said if we would buy a handle for $5 they would give us a beer. I think we bought two each! I still have ‘em.

Well, anyway, back to the lilac festival, it was a good time. The weather was a little cool and cloudy, but it didn’t rain. One year my wife and I went in a total down-poor! This year was pretty nice. Check out my pics and the video. Don’t you think Sara did a great job as our camera person!

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