Perry Fest '10

Two weekends ago, September 17th-19th, marked our annual fall celebration in my hometown, known as Perry Fest. As of last year's festival, I've been attending among a handful of other guests as part of Edna Bentley Memorial Library's Literary Alley. Literary Alley, unfortunately, is a Saturday-only event. However, seeing as they've offered the table space to me for free, I really can't complain.

The weather, on the other hand, I can complain about. Despite forecasts the evening before that called for a pleasant Saturday, it was, needless to say, less than pleasant -- typical Michigan weather. There was a light shower that turned into a downpour during the morning, and personally owning no space covering posed a serious problem. So instead of setting up and ready to go by 10 AM, as was scheduled, I had to take a drive out into Okemos to purchase an instant canopy. Not a particularly cheap purchase, either. At any rate, the rain had cleared up when I returned to City Hall and set up my tent, table, and displays around noon.

As luck would have it, though, another downpour came around 3 PM that afternoon and essentially ended the rest of the day's festivities. Fortunately, Saturday was not all for naught. Two little girls posed for caricatures, Maddie and Ella, while attending Perry Fest with their parents and eldest sister. Natalie, a teenage girl, also posed even as the second downpour came, sitting underneath an umbrella and I under my canopy. I'm sure that anyone else watching would agree that this sight was somewhat surreal.

camera shy, and needing a nap, poor lil' Maddie was less than happy in this picture

Ella must be short for elephant -- she sported pachyderms in her hair and around her neck

sitting amidst the rain, just for a drawing -- very flattering for an artist

Regardless of the rain, Perry Fest still had its high points. And in spite of losing a few prints to water damage, much more artwork would have been lost if not for the instant canopy. I'll just keep my fingers crossed that next year will fare better.