Monday, July 25, 2011

A little summer madness


People say the summer doesn't really start in the USA until after July the 4th. Here on Vashon, the start of summer is the annual Strawberry Festival. In the dim and distant fog filled past, Vashon used to have the largest strawberry fields in Washington state, but not anymore. Along with most commercial produce, that has all moved over the Cascade Mts to eastern Washington, but I digress.
The Strawberry festival is 3 days of madness with a bit of mayhem added. Lots of craft booths line the town center along with food purveyors, heating supply contractors, quack medicine men and tie dye shirts. The parade starts it all off, which to my simple mind seems to include every organization, child care facility, organic farm etc on the Island (and anyone who wants to dance and strut their stuff in public).


We have a small Highland Pipe Band which convenes hasty practices about 2 days before, mainly as an excuse to drink whisky. This year, Legend Jr. helped lead the band. I took out his Kilt from its storage box and tried it on him. He looked like Twiggy, it was so short. The maker added an extra 2 inches to the hem, so I set about unpicking all the threads and ironed out the creases. With our parade pass in hand, we manoeuvred past the security barriers and parking Nazis to the parade starting point. It had been raining all night, but the sun started to peek through the heavy and overcast sky pushing the temperature up into the 80's. The water on the road evaporated, the clouds lifted and the Grand Parade Marshall blew her whistle and we were off

Folks on Vashon love getting dressed up. The initial bad weather had not deterred anyone from attending so we paraded to a capacity crowd. Here's a few more photos of the day. 
The Lovely Mrs legend and Wild Scot

Anti Republican Backbone Campaign

We breed 'em big on Vashon

Exercise Class with Drummers


Vashon Thriftway shopping cart demo team

It isn't a festival without the vintage tractors

Legend Jnr's teacher Melanie and her family Cajun band

Am I big enough for this ride?

I guess so

Sean lives in a tent in the woods and never misses a chance to dance
The lovely Kaetlin

15 comments:

  1. Hello:
    This all looks to be enormous fun. Obviously nobody cares that the strawberries have gone to pastures new, and quite rightly so. Nothing should get in the way of a jolly good party. The people of Vashon certainly know how to have a good time!

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  2. Looks great fun.. fab photos.. fab weather.. lucky sod xx

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  3. You Scots get everywhere! You may be interested in my today's posting... get your juices flowing!

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  4. Shopping cart boogie?
    Too funny.
    Found you over at Ruth's place. You rock, big time! Wish I could live where you live. Love love love the Pacific Northwest. Newest follower.
    Marsha

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  5. So - Vashon has got a shopping cart display team. My mind has boggled! Looks like good fun all the same. Love the old guy who lives in the woods having a dance, that is brilliant!

    Ali x

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  6. A great set of pictures - looks like proper fun.

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  7. Lovely photos,summers here too.Probably briefly:)

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  8. It looks like great fun! Lovely to see a pic of Mrs Legend and Legend Jr looks adorable xx

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  9. It looks brilliant - love the shopping cart team!

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  10. So funny! I was once on the local news in the US dancing my own version of the Highland Fling - luckily I was an innocent abroad and no one knew me.

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  11. a shopping cart demo team?? I need more information........please!!

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  12. Brilliantly bonkers. Our livestock shows are just starting - big bulls and ice creams!

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  13. The shopping cart team pulled out one year, and there was such a rumpus, they came back the next. It is hilarious to watch.

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  14. How much fun this looks. Like when I was young and at the good old county fair. Vashon - what a lovely place you've chosen to live. I do hope to visit someday.

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  15. Looks like superb fun, and similar to some of our Gulf Island festivals up here - everyone seems to come out of the woodwork for them!
    I hope your renos are done on time before the permit expires...then maybe you can put your feet up, by the computer at least.
    Cheers, and all the best with starting your own business!

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