Wouldn’t you know that I’d forget my camera? I’ll make up for it in two weeks when we go to Oktoberfest. Until then, I’ll just show you what a gorgeous day it was.

A small group of Viewmont women business owners had a spark of an idea to organize an event for one store.  But, the idea caught on and turned into a community-wide celebration when more than 80 of the businesses in Viewmont expressed an interest in participating.

In addition to the local artists, entertainment, food and beer, were sidewalk sales, face painting, games, prizes, an antique car show and tons of business promotions.  You have to be in awe of the organizational skills and hard work of the women who pulled everything together in a little over one month’s time.  Great job, ladies!  I am already looking forward to next year!

“We need a renaissance of wonder. We need to renew, in our hearts and in our souls, the deathless dream, the eternal poetry, the perennial sense that life is miracle and magic.”

- E. Merrill Root -

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Friday, we sampled the food (does eating half of a funnel cake count as “sampling”?), tasted the beer, petted the dogs, and toured the attractions.  Now, our focus is on the artistic side of the festivities.

Click the photo above to enlarge.  Click here to view today’s gallery.

I made my annual trek to Oktoberfest this afternoon. It was very windy but a gorgeous day. (Click photo for gallery.)

There’ll be guitars and fiddles and banjo pickin’ too…
- Excerpt, “Grand Ole Opry Song” -

There’s a party goin’ on right here, a
celebration to last throughout the years.
– Kool and the Gang (Celebration) –

Hickory’s 23rd Annual Oktoberfest began this morning and should be in full swing by now. In keeping with the last week, it was cloudy and drizzling rain when the vendors began setting up their booths. Ignoring the weather, my camera and I joined them – which is why I’m slow to comment on the Skywatch photos.

Oktoberfest is a three day event and usually draws a crowd of around 100,000 people. Most of them come on the second day but there were a few brave souls getting an early start for the crafts and food.

Oh, the food! One side street has nothing but food vendors. You can find popcorn, hot dogs, corndogs, bratwurst, burgers, buffalo wings, barbequed pork, nachos, italian sausage, gyros, greek salads, ribbon fries, chili, bloomin’ onions, German potato pancakes, Cajun chicken, grilled shrimp, Philly steak…the list goes on.

Just looking at the sweets will send you into sugar shock and clog your arteries. Booth after booth of cotton candy, caramel apples, ice cream, cinnamon twists, fried donuts, cookies, fudge, candies and the absolute favorite of everyone – funnel cakes.

Pick your topping(s): plain (powdered sugar), cinnamon sugar, strawberries, walnuts, peanut butter, hot fudge, chocolate chips, caramel, whipped cream, maple syrup, etc. The food lines are long but you can grow old waiting in line for a funnel cake. Which is the real reason I went early…so I could ignore my no-cholesterol, no-fat diet and be first in line.

We’ll talk about the crafts tomorrow. I’ve made myself hungry again and that calls for a trip uptown for some BBE (bratwurst, beer and entertainment) – as soon as I remember where I left my Bavarian hat…

Prosit!