Yesterday the family and I went to the NW Folklife festival at the Seattle Center, to expose the kids to the hemp-and-patchouli Seattle subculture.  The sun was out, temperatures were high, and Seattleites started exposing skin in many various ways – there hasn’t been this much pasty-white skin exposed to the sun since the massive Reykjavik prison break in 1967.  Also, this being Folklife, there weren’t enough bras to properly outfit a volleyball team.  Good times.

Leaving aside my mild disappointment at not encountering a single hackeysack, we all had a great time.  The kids were goggle-eyed at many of the more, ahem, “eccentric” festival-goers, such as The Man With The Enormous Hat or The Man Waving Pastel-Colored Diaphanous Fabric In Circular Motions.  They really loved it when we went to Fun Forest and rode bumper cars, though.  They’re preparing for the post-fossil-fuel future, where we all drive underpowered electric cars.

They also enjoyed seeing the police horse poop on the grass.  I have to admit it was an amazing display.

Musically, there were a lot of what seemed like impromptu gatherings of musicians.  My wife and I came to the conclusion that they were all playing the same song at different speeds – sort of a Klezmer-meets-Mighty Mighty Bosstones clappable number.  Then there was the drum machine guy up by Seattle Fudge who, like a solo ocean-going sailor, had his rig of 15 musical instruments set up that he could control it with the slightest of movements.  The cacaphony was incredible.

The HempFest folks, knowing this was fertile recruiting territory, showed up about 2 PM with advertising flyers and signs.   Note to HempFest: The chances of your target audience remembering that they had a flyer, let alone actually get the flyer home to put up on their fridge, is about nil.

Best part for me?  Just hanging out with the family, watching the kids have a great time, and enjoying a little sun.  I’m really glad that we get to experience big events like this from time to time.