I do so love a happy crowd....

Those of you who have been reading "From Pencilbox to Keyboard" for a while know that I am the kind of person who cries at parades...the kind of person who loves all things small-town America. This past weekend was the ultimate of that type of experience, and I have to say that I enjoyed every minute of it.  

My daughter was a vendor at the North East, PA Wine Fest and it was a happening. I was her helper.  Not only was her booth of LuLaRoe clothing a hot spot of activity, but...it provided me the opportunity to people watch Friday evening, all day Saturday and then again on Sunday afternoon.  The weather, although a little chilly, was sunny and dry. Perfect... People were not only celebrating the local and regional wines, but also the beginning of Autumn and the break from this past summer's heat.  Fun... fun... fun....

There were all kinds of unique and wonderful items for sale in North East's Gibson Park. I personally bought an outside metal bird that is taller than I am.  (It makes me smile.) There were pony rides, people walking around on stilts, young people boisterously stomping grapes, wine bars, horse drawn wagon rides, a continuous flow of live bands, and food... food... food. There were babies in buggies, seniors with walkers, little children skipping about -- the entire range of humanity (plus a large variety of dogs) -- and -- almost everyone had a smile on his or her face. My personal favorites were those who walked around with necklaces of pretzels to nibble as they walked through the park -- many with glasses of wine in hand or hanging in wine glass holder necklaces so that they could sip as they moved through the festival.  Amazing. Why have I never driven over the hills to North East to attend this before?  

The weekend was encouraging and comforting in these crazy times. It was a welcome return to the positive of the small town experience. I had heard that this Wine Fest draws a crowd of as many as 30,000 people, and I do believe that is so.  I personally met people who came from New Hampshire, Georgia, Florida and Wisconsin -- not to mention from a ton of places closer by in Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio.  They all had one thing in common -- they were having a wonderful time.  Nice, isn't it?  It's a most pleasant diversion from the current events of the national and international level. I do so love a happy crowd... especially if it is celebrating "things" of small-town America.