The main draw of the festival, of course, is the shopping. What good is a free festival if someone isn't profiting off jewelry, costume and accent pieces, funky clothing, body art, food and (most importantly) drinks to stave off the oppressiveness of the summer heat? I didn't do a lot of shopping myself - for one thing, it was simply too hot to stand in one place long enough to peruse all the different wares...if you had any intention of moving again, that is!
For those more willing to succumb to the summer heat than I, there were plenty of events to wow the eyes and ears. At the main stage area, there was a constant rotation of live music and dancing exhibitions, mostly traditional and folk dances of non-Western cultures. More music, dance, artistry, and even some acrobatics took place at other performance spaces around the park, and at 6 pm was perhaps the highlight of the festival - the butterfly release. Unfortunately, I neglected to keep an eye on the time so I was near the back of the crowd, but it was a real treat to see a hesitant spray of red- and orange-winged butterflies weaving drunkenly above the heads of the crowd in front of me. One of the little critters must have decided it needed a moment to orient itself and chose my left elbow as a promising perch, but unfortunately flitted off again before I could snag a photo. Not far off, however, a costumed woman had a butterfly light on her own wings (cloth-and-wire fairy wings) and her friends seemed positively thrilled to be able to photograph the occurrence.
Past that, things became an exciting blur. The friends I'd gone to the festival with had left early (their children weren't handling the heat too well), but I unexpectedly ran into quite a few other people that I knew. For the next few hours, I bounced from person to person and group to group, bopping around the festival site like the butterflies from a bit earlier. As the sun finally started to slip behind the trees, lines at the food vendors got longer and longer. Just about anything you would expect to find there was there! Hamburgers and hotdogs seemed like the most popular fare, but cold drinks and cold treats (one child was spotted with a Spongebob Squarepants shaped popsicle, and a friend shared a bite of Nutella flavored gelato—most likely provided by the delectable Gnam Gnam Gelato, located near The Fresh Market on Lawndale—that was positively heavenly!) made a strong showing, and I think I may have even seen a cupcake or two.
What impressed me most were the number of people at the festival that I knew either directly or indirectly. In addition to unexpected friends from high school, Guilford College, and other area schools, I ran into some local crafts people and Renaissance faire aficionados I'd met at other events, photographer Alan Welch, and even the author and artist of webcomic Spike Cartoons, a young woman who's ambition and imagination are sure to take her places.
Once dusk was finally at hand (it takes a while when it's the day before the longest day of the year), the dramatic conclusion of the festivities began as the fire dancing act started. Highlighted by the impressive acrobatic and balancing skills of Kara Chambers and Jacob Felder, and featuring the antics of local fire dancing troupe Flaming Faeries, the show had some impressive displays of fire poi, hoops, fans, umbrellas, and even a set of flaming fairy wings. The show was accompanied by some excellent music as well, including a piece danced to "Marco Polo" by Loreena McKennitt, one of my favorite musical artists.
All in all, the Summer Solstice Celebration is an excellent way to spend an afternoon if you live in the Triad and weren't already having a cookout for Father's Day. Afternoon temperatures and lack of shade across much of the festival area made the early parts of the festival really uncomfortable but once the shadows lengthened, good spirits and fun prevailed. Too bad the solstice cant be celebrated on the equinox, when the weather would be a bit more agreeable. ;)
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