Since we arrived here everyone we talk to mentions Summerfest. EVERYONE. Everyone in the surrounding area has a boner for this Summerfest. "You HAVE to go to Summerfest!" they say. Yeah, sure. Drag a bunch of sweaty cranky kids through a crowd of drunk hippies while telling them over and over that we aren't buying $7 corndogs because they just ate before we left the house...I'd tell the kids that, not the hippies. I have no idea when hippies eat but I do know they drink at festivals. That's just what I need, hippies spilling beer on my cranky kids. No, thanks.
Being new to the area I really had no idea what Summerfest is all about other than anything ending in "fest" surely means there will be hippies involved. Thanks to the evening news last night I received an education about Summerfest. It is an annual 11 day music festival with food, fireworks and not as many hippies as I thought there would be. I must admit, when I saw the opening day line up I kinda got a boner. And then I wished I was 25 again because I'd have totally gone to opening night. Instead I chased fireworks with these two:
The Boys and I walked to a spot not far from our house where I thought the locals might gather to watch the fireworks. Sure enough when we got there the locals were all set up in their lawn chairs.
As soon as the fireworks started I realized that these people must be local impostors. They had no clue where the fireworks would be because we could hear fireworks but not see them. Turns out we were too far around the bend of the bay to see anything. As soon as I realized what was happening I told the boys to run. "Run towards the high school!" So we ran. I mean we ran full tilt for 1/4 mile. It was probably more like 1/10 of a mile, but still it felt like a full mile. Seriously though, when's the last time you ran? I mean really RAN? I was contemplating this question as The Boys lit out ahead of me but still I ran. Calves burning, instant back sweat forming. I'll be damned if we were going to miss the fireworks! And we didn't.
I don't think I've ever hustled so hard for fireworks in all of my life. Once we reached the high school there was a giant hill to climb to get to the baseball field where all the REAL locals were watching the fireworks. It was definitely a learning experience but now we know where to go for fireworks.
As I'm writing this I know the neighbor across the street wasn't lying when he said we could hear Summerfest from our house. Through the open living room windows I can hear the low thump-thump-rumble-rumble of live music playing. The festival is on the bay so the sound carries over the water. It's strange to be so close to a big city (10 minutes max if you take the slow way) but still feel like we're living in a small town. Can't say I'm hating it at all.
Being new to the area I really had no idea what Summerfest is all about other than anything ending in "fest" surely means there will be hippies involved. Thanks to the evening news last night I received an education about Summerfest. It is an annual 11 day music festival with food, fireworks and not as many hippies as I thought there would be. I must admit, when I saw the opening day line up I kinda got a boner. And then I wished I was 25 again because I'd have totally gone to opening night. Instead I chased fireworks with these two:
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Full moon in the sky on our way to the fireworks spot.
Notice the yellow construction shirt under the hoodie?
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The Boys and I walked to a spot not far from our house where I thought the locals might gather to watch the fireworks. Sure enough when we got there the locals were all set up in their lawn chairs.
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| Picture does not do the view justice. This is looking towards the city, much better in person. |
As soon as the fireworks started I realized that these people must be local impostors. They had no clue where the fireworks would be because we could hear fireworks but not see them. Turns out we were too far around the bend of the bay to see anything. As soon as I realized what was happening I told the boys to run. "Run towards the high school!" So we ran. I mean we ran full tilt for 1/4 mile. It was probably more like 1/10 of a mile, but still it felt like a full mile. Seriously though, when's the last time you ran? I mean really RAN? I was contemplating this question as The Boys lit out ahead of me but still I ran. Calves burning, instant back sweat forming. I'll be damned if we were going to miss the fireworks! And we didn't.
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The light on the left is the high school.
The light on the right is the condo complex on Lake Michigan.
The tiny light in the middle is the city with fireworks...hard to tell but trust me, it was beautiful.
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As I'm writing this I know the neighbor across the street wasn't lying when he said we could hear Summerfest from our house. Through the open living room windows I can hear the low thump-thump-rumble-rumble of live music playing. The festival is on the bay so the sound carries over the water. It's strange to be so close to a big city (10 minutes max if you take the slow way) but still feel like we're living in a small town. Can't say I'm hating it at all.
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