The Parking Lottery…

Here’s an idea, I think really busy festivals and events should offer to sell potential attendees “Parking Lottery” tickets. This way one would at least have a chance for a decent parking spot. Whenever we go to a busy festival or event, it’s always a challenge to find a convenient parking spot! I can’t tell you how many times we have driven around for what seems like hours and miles to find a decent spot. It’s very frustrating. The was one time when I drove all the way to Toronto only to drive around for over an hour trying to find a spot that wasn’t miles away. Finally after much driving and looking I gave up and drove home. But don’t feel too sorry for the “old Nomad”. I have had some incredible luck too! Take the time I drove, again, to Toronto. This time it was to the Beaches Jazz & Blues Festival. Now, for any of you who have visited the Beaches area, you will know that finding a parking spot even at non peek times is an adventure! So here we were on a busy Saturday morning during the largest event of the year. We entered the Beaches area from Woodbine and turn east onto Queen Street. Traffic was at a crawl! The festival was taking place at Kew Beach. Slowly we edged our way along Queen Street. After what seemed like hours we reached the festival park. Just opposite was a street running north. As I looked up the street I saw an empty spot. I blinked, I could believe my eyes. I thought it must be a no parking zone! I am sure everyone else who saw the spot thought the same! I turned anyway. It wasn’t much of a spot, but it wasn’t in a “no parking” zone. With the help of my passengers, I edged my way into the spot. We were good for the day and legally parked! We were lucky this day, but as I have said, more times than not we have driven around in circles trying to find a spot. Some of the more thoughtful events provide off-site parking plus a shuttle service (good for them!) but for those who don’t, a “parking lottery” just might work. And it could rise to few “bucks” to boot! There is, of course, a downside to a lottery. They would have to deal with those who paid good money and didn’t win! I would want to be the one to tell them that they still had to drive around for hours! So, okay, maybe a “parking lottery” isn’t such a great idea after all. Happy festivaling (new word I just made up!) and remember the Festival Nomad’s mantra “DO I FEEL LUCKY TODAY”!!

The Name Game...

Does anyone remember Norma Tanega’s song “Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog” or Johnny Cash’s song “A Boy Named Sue”? Perhaps you don’t (unfortunately, I do!), but hopefully it will give you an idea about our next adventure. First of all, I am going to change the name and theme to protect the culprits. It was a beautiful spring day and we were off to visit the “Anywhere Kumquat Festival” (not the real name). We had found the festival listed in the “Festivals and Events in Ontario Guide” (our festival bible) and then went onto their website to check out the event. The site was vague, but the festival sounded interesting so we decided to visit it. Besides, I love the taste of Kumquats (who doesn’t). I had visions of Kumquats dancing in my head! You know, Kumquat pies, Kumquat cider, Kumquats on a Stick, you name it and I visualized it. We got up early so that we could enjoy our day and the early morning drive. Once we got to the festival site, we found a convenient parking spot and then joined the crowd. I was licking my lips, ready to dive in! At first we looked enthusiastically for Kumquats, any type of Kumquats, but none were to be found! We searched high and low, around this corner and that, but still no Kumquats. We couldn’t even find items that were related to Kumquats. It seemed that the festival organizers liked the idea of Kumquats. After all, they had chosen it as their theme. They just didn’t seem to know how to deliver on the theme. I am sure that the organizers were well intentioned, but they missed the mark completely. We could have been disappointed and angry and gone home with our “tails between our legs” (a metaphor). However, being true Festival Nomads, we could go to wherever the “winds blew us” (another metaphor), so we decided to stay and make the best of the day and the non-Kumquat festival. As it turns out, we had a great time and really did enjoy our visit. Now any time we go to theme festivals we check them out more completely. As the old saying goes, “Live and Learn”!

My Car Knows the Way…

Desert Nomads ride Camels… right? And, Camels know how to find water… right? I’m a “Nomad”, but I don’t ride a Camel! Heck, I don’t even own one! Besides, if I rode a Camel it would just take too long to get to the festivals we visit and it would be very uncomfortable. We would, I think, cause a lot of excitement, but, frankly, for the most part, I like to go under the radar. Now, back to my ride! So, it stands to reason, if I don’t go by Camel, I must go by some other means! Yes, my festival going friends, I go by Car! Like a good Camel, my car knows where all the “watering holes” are located along the festival way. I am, of course, referring to “Tims”! Plus, my car knows who is BOSS, because if it didn't know where the “Tims” were, it would get into trouble with Judi! And Judi, when it comes to passing a “Tims” without stopping, has a “short fuse”! That being said, we make frequent stops during our festivals travels. Let me tell you, I like “Tims” coffee as much as anyone, however, I don’t buy “Tims” coffee, I rent it and then, only for a very short time! That means, for you young Camels, that my body rejects the coffee quite quickly. That’s where my “smart” car comes in for me. It remembers where all the washrooms are located. The only problem is that they are all located at “Tims”… and so, my friends, the circle of life goes on!!

Never Drive in a Straight Line When a Crooked One Will Do…

“Getting there is half the fun, isn’t it?” At least that’s what I believe and I think I may even have convinced Judi. Take our trip to the Waterloo Quilt Festival last spring. We could have driven straight there, west on Highway 401 to Cambridge, north on Highway 8, through Kitchener-Waterloo and then on to St Jacobs. A two hour plus trip of driving and not much else! (Boring… boring) Instead, I (WE) decided to go the “scenic” route. It involved driving through Toronto on the 401 Highway to Milton. Then, just west of Milton, we left the 401 at Campbellville. We turned south on the Guelph Line into Campbellville. This is a picturesque little hamlet with a number of quaint stores. We got out of the car and explored the shops. Pretty neat, eh!! Once we were finished looking around, we continued on our journey. This time we traveled north on the Guelph Line. On our way, we passed the Mohawk Raceway. Had we been later in the day, we could have stopped and taken in a standardbred race or two. (Website: http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/mohawk/) Since it was early in the day we continued on. Further on, we passed the Streetcar & Electric Rail Road Museum. (Website: http://www.hcry.org/ab_us.html) We didn’t exactly pass, we stopped to take photos. Unfortunately we were traveling on a week day and the Museum is only open on weekends! Still, plenty of fun! We continued on the Guelph Line until we came to Highway 7. This we followed west right into the heart of Downtown Guelph. Guelph is the home of Canada’s agricultural university, Ontario Agricultural College (OAC). (Website: http://www.oac.uoguelph.ca/) OAC is the oldest part of the University of Guelph (1873). Guelph is also on of the first planned towns in Canada. Driving through Downtown Guelph is both an interesting and challenging experience. Interesting because the all the historical architecture. Challenging because of the road system! To find out more about Guelph, visit these 2 websites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guelph,_Ontario and http://guelph.ca/living.cfm. We finally left “The Royal City” (aka Guelph) and headed north. We were now in beautiful Mennonite Country! Our route was serendipitous. We were traveling the back roads of Waterloo County. We passed numerous Mennonite farms along the way. These well maintained farms are beautiful and fascinating. In a world gone mad for modern conveniences, Mennonite farms and lifestyle take us back to the days of our forefather, where hard work required strength and endurance. We also passed through 2 more charming villages, Maryhill and Conestoga. After 3 ½ hours “on the road”, we reached our final destination of St. Jacobs. Was the extra hour or so worth it? Quaint villages, horse racing, museums, historic architecture, scenic landscape, magnificent farms, winding roads… you be the judge! And, we hadn’t even visited the festival yet! NOT BORING!!! So, when you embark on your next festival trip, “go crooked”!