Well it has been a busy and eye-opening Summer, but fear not Riz's Takes and Funnel Cakes is not going anywhere but up. I have been fasting for Ramadan for the past month (well at least from sunrise to sunset each day), which makes it difficult to blog about food festivals. I don't believe in excuses and know that my 2 loyal readers deserve more. So, I present a special outtakes edition from the food festivals thus far. Surprisingly I have a life too, but I will be back at an Apple Festival on October 3rd. Please continue submitting your suggestions.
The summer may be over, but it has been a great experience at these festivals. Behind the scenes there is a lot of waiting around for the next tractor pull (pictured here), or waiting in line for the next towboat tour. Either way, festivals can be very relaxing. [Salisbury Steak Festival]
There has been a lot of crap for sale at the craft fairs attached to these festivals. I keep seeing these assorted bamboo light contraptions, and I have no idea why or who would want them. Actually they might just come in handy if you live in a houseboat docked at a pier. [Superman Festival] I also came across these geese that you can dress up in their very own getups. For just $20 you get a goose, and for $10-$28 you get to dress it up and put it in your yard. I feel really bad that I haven't gotten a single sponsor to pay a dime for this site yet, and this goose business is cleaning up. [Hot Air Balloon Festival]
The stars and bars. I see these flags everywhere, but this one even had a skull to boot. Solid. Nothing confuses people like a man of Indian descent born in Kentucky. [Strawberry Festival]
Car Shows are a standard at many festivals, and here is a sampling of some cool ones I've liked thus far. Let me know if you know the make, model, and year of these cars. [L to R: Peach Festival, Mustard Festival, Ketchup Festival].
A certain fast food company's clown spokesperson may be loved by kids around the world, but I found this chucklehead to be just downright creepy. If you can't see; the coloring book is completely blank then is magically colored in when he sprinkles magic dust and the kids throw colors at him (adults too). Creepy. I hate clowns. [Ketchup Festival]
Some of you may have read my boastful blog of my Nascar Challenge in Newton, IL's Strawberry Festival. I completed the tire changing simulation in 16.4 seconds. Here is the local record setting kid demonstrating how the challenge was supposed to be done. [Strawberry Festival]
Oh Matt Barber. The dreamboat is back! Here is another song I recorded at the Salisbury Steak festival, which I didn't have room for in the original post. The ODB (Original Dream Boat) electrified the crowd with "When I look in your eyes". Simply the best. The Matt Barber Experience is in St. Louis on Sept. 22 @ the Barnes Jewish Retirement Center at 2:00. Check it out! And here is yet another song from youtube entitled "You Are My Friend". Jaw dropping, with exclusive interviews at the beginning and end. If you have 6 minutes you will feel better, that's ODB's mission. [Salisbury Steak Festival]
Sorry for the sitcom-esque rehash of past episodes, but I've been busy and it's hard to do food festivals when you have been fasting. Yet, it was a great opportunity to give my 3 loyal readers a little more that didn't make the first cut (some shouldn't have made this second cut). For anyone else, feel free to catch up on past posts which are arranged by month on the left side of the page. Thank you again for your support, and I will be back with an all-new Apple Festival from Jerseyville, IL on Oct. 3rd.
Sorry for the sitcom-esque rehash of past episodes, but I've been busy and it's hard to do food festivals when you have been fasting. Yet, it was a great opportunity to give my 3 loyal readers a little more that didn't make the first cut (some shouldn't have made this second cut). For anyone else, feel free to catch up on past posts which are arranged by month on the left side of the page. Thank you again for your support, and I will be back with an all-new Apple Festival from Jerseyville, IL on Oct. 3rd.
I don't even know where to start with this one. You just tried to cover all the emotions. I didn't know what I was in for with the mayor singing, but you're right that was good stuff.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I can't get over is the Matt Barber experience. I was intrigued last time, but this is out of control. Did you read the comments that were on the youtube link? Did you notice the description says "live performance" and the video shows no one there? I mean parts of the video even zoom in on empty table and chairs. Is he confident in himself, and we should learn from that, or out of touch? Or both? He's been doing this for 10 years (based on that self-interview comment), so you really have to wonder.
Oh yes. I noticed everything about that video, and can only conclude that he is simply misunderstood. Matt Barber is ahead of his time, and I hope there will be a day we all catch up. Also did you see the breakdancers in the video? Barber is an underground phenom. Maybe he doesn't pack 'em in at the bars, but he definitely has street cred.
ReplyDelete