From One Extreme to Another

Worked at the Monastery today (my volunteer job, resumed from my summer hiatus.) Lunched with some Sisters and got some quiet reading done. Yeah at the Monastery, at the College of St Scholastica. It's all dad's doing (fault). Long story. Maybe another time. Me and the Sistas. ;-)

Afterwards I remember a mate tellin me about music at Bayfront today - supposedly free. I went home, changed into my swim top (for sunbaking purposes) and shorts, grabbed a bottle of water and tied my jacket round my waist just in case the wind came off the lake as it was foggy earlier and anything can happen down there. I parked at work for free and meandered on down to the park.

Once I got near, there were a couple of guys walking my way, one out of concern of my lack of concern in the way I crossed the freeway ramps and expected the only car on it to basically look out for me said, "Be careful when you cross" in a bit of a lispy lilty way. It was then I knew as I simultaneously noticed rainbow flags about.

Pride Festival in the Park.

This whole weekend is Pride Weekend.
Here and in Superior.
Then it dawned on me like a lightbulb going on, "Oh yeah, the drag show and Ru Paul thingy." DOH!

I wandered in to the park - so different from a month ago for Blues Fest as this event was FREE, and vender row was empty save for a few cars. All the vendors, craftspeople and information booths were scattered about the park, music coming from the stage area, and a variety of interesting people to see, many brightly dressed in rainbow wear, or totally displaying messages of pride. Pets were welcome too.

I walked around to check it out, noticing booths with everything from HIV awareness to Tools (real tools, not battery operated bedroom tools) to clothing and jewelry. There was even a family/children's area as well as everyone's favourite fair foods and a beer tent.I got there just in time for literally the end of the Retribution Gospel Choir performance. Then Sick of Sarah cancelled due to being stuck in construction traffic on I35.

Boogie Wonderlandplayed their set and filled in some of the extra time until the headliner Ru Paul. I stayed for his first few songs then took off to find dinner and relax for the rest of my evening on my deck.

Boogie Wonderlandhad played for pay at Grandma's Sports Garden Fri night, and today was free. They also played the obvious It's Raining Men and closed with Y.M.C.A. which brought heaps of boogying enthusiastic Y.M.C.A.er's to the dance area at the base of the stage.

Then came Ru Paul. I had to stay long enough to see this.
(My camera jammmed toward the end of Boogie Wonderland
so the only pics I got were off my mobile.)

Two songs were enough for me of this spectacle, but the crowd seemed to love him/her.

Go figure.

All in all, a fun few hours, mainly of people watching and music in the sun.

I really didn't recognise too many people, but there was a pretty good turnout.

No one hit on me.
*is sad now*