The Season of Fun

This weekend marks the dawning of what I affectionately call "The Season of Fun" in Baltimore. It starts this weekend in July every year (which is usually the hottest of the whole summer) at an event called Artscape and continues until the last weekend in October. It seems that between now and then there is a new festival or event every weekend. Next weekend is Bubble Fest at our local science center, then peach picking, the Baltimore Book Festival, apple picking and a gazillion farm events before Halloween comes to pass. It is the most wonderful time of year for me and I hope for Liam too. It's sort of this amazing time of creating memories together just the two of us.


Here are some pictures from the eternally wacky Artscape.

Who doesn't love when sticking an inner tube inside a tire is "art"? I love that things like this excite Liam. He was so stoked to see such a huge tire and to be able to go up and TOUCH IT! Sometimes life truly is about the little things.

These are just two of several dozen solar powered speakers that were spread out on a grassy patch just outside the front doors of the Myerhoff Symphony. I don't know if they would work after enough sun exposure of if it was just an artistic statement. I thought they were neat either way.

The diversity of art at this festival is truly amazing, I loved these abstract wooden creatures that were stuck in a few pockets of bushes just past the speakers (above). Liam took a liking to this guy and to these huge alligator chairs where you could climb up into the 'gators mouth.

This was just one of a dozen or so of the plastic play houses made for kids that had been redone. I loved this cabin feel with it's plaid siding, bark door and tree parts shooting out the top. In addition to this one there was a shack, a brick house, one painted with bugs all over it, and several others.

They had also redecorated several plastic foot-powered car toys for kids and placed them at the top of a hill for them to race down. Super fun! *Except for the whole pushing your kid back up said hill.

Demented 80's cartoon character portraits led us into the performance art alley. This Smurf caught my eye with the movie coming out soon and having just played Just Dance Smurfs a few weeks ago. I promise the ones in the video game are cute and friendly, unlike this guy.

There was a whole booth selling stickers and whatnot with rats on them that said BALT or Baltimore across them. Liam (the kid who hates having his picture taken) INSISTED I take his picture in the rat.

Saving the best for last! Liam found this Twister mat out in the performace art alley and decided that he just had to play a game. He spent a good 20-30 minutes playing Twister and he seemed to know the rules without me ever having to explain them to him. He garnered quiet a following of "oohs" and "ahhs" and was working his own little paparazzi.

Well played man, well played!