Strange Times We're Living In...

The call came down a week ago: due to the spread of the coronavirus, the city of Pinellas Park (Florida) was canceling it's annual Country in the Park event. These are strange times we're living in.

This was supposed to be the 30th Annual celebration that the city puts on every March, starting in 1991. The city's annual Chili Blaze Cook-Off, held the day before the County in the Park, was also canceled. The Chili Blaze, run by the city's Fire Department, raises money for Muscular Dystrophy.

In a way, it was probably a bit of a relief to have both canceled. My youngest son, J., and I had never missed a Country in the Park celebration; M., my next-to-youngest, had only missed one (2018) due to a work schedule, as well as what probably turned out to be the lamest of the annual event. By the time M. got off work, J. and I had already headed home, not lasting more than maybe half-an-hour. Fortunately, last year's was somewhat better, and, with the fees for local arts and crafts people reduced to what it had been, years earlier, as well as what seemed like a ramped-up musical stage, it looked like this year's event would be good.

Country in the Park, 2019



Pinellas Park Art Society's booth at the 2019 Country in the Park



But the flip side was the fact that the state and federal governments were warning people about being in large groups. First it was to avoid any group greater than 250 people, especially for anyone over a certain age or who had any underlying conditions. Then, it was avoid any gatherings greater than 50, then 10. It was crazy. And, because the annual events - both the Country in the Park and the Chili Blaze Cook-off - tended to bring out a large portion of the city's population, both events were canceled.

While I completely understood the cancelation, it just felt strange not heading out: it was the third Saturday in March, we'd gone to so many of the yearly events, and when things are getting a little stressful (which this whole coronavirus this is), it's nice having something fun to look forward to.

2011 Chili Blaze





Crowd, 2012 Chili Blaze



While M. and I had gone to only two of the Chili Blazes the night before the Country in the Park (both in 2011 and 2012), the Chili Blaze was always popular, have food and bands to help attract crowds.

Band, Chili Blaze





Suite Caroline, Chili Blaze 2012





All told, with any luck, both events - Chili Blaze and Country in the Park - will be back next year. Hopefully, the coronavirus won't make people too scared to start gathering together in the future.

We can only hope.

Vendors, Country in the Park

Family, Fun, Cats, Rain...It Must Be Saturday

It's Saturday - a dreary, rainy Saturday. Does anything else scream lazy-sleep-in-day as much as a rainy Saturday? I doubt it.

But of all the Saturdays to have it rain, today might not have been the best. The city of Pinellas Park is having their annual Country In The Park, a celebration of all things in a smallish city. It's billed as "the City of Pinellas Park's annual festival and trade show," and features an arts & crafts show (so local artists and crafts people can display - and hopefully sell - their wares), a tree & plant sale, carnival rides, food - pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, curly chips, funnel cakes, and soda and bottled water - the whole shebang. The city even displays some of their vehicles (wow! look at that antique fire truck!) and literature from the different departments.

Vendors Tents from 2015 Country in the Park







Antique La France Fire Truck



Curly Fries and Fried Corn



Making Curly Fries







See? Almost Done!



Fried Corn



But what really seems to bring in a lot of people (as if those aforementioned goodies don't do it) are the display of cars by the Suncoast Mustang Car Club and the live music. Usually, the music - yes, live concert! - consists of mostly up-and-coming local acts, then highlighted at the end by a national act. Usually, the national act is someone out of the major limelight for a year or two, but a national act, none-the-less. This year's national act is Crystal Gayle ("Don't it Make Your Brown Eyes Blue?"). (Sorry, folks, I don't have any photos of Crystal Gayle; all photos here are mine - yes, copyright, and all - and as Crystal hasn't played here yet...)

Suncoast Mustang Club Show, Country in the Park, 2015







Barbershop Quarter, 2015

Suite Caroline, 2012



I usually don't stay for the national act; that usually comes on around 8:00 P.M. (which is when Crystal Gayle will be taking the stage - in case you're in the area and want to see her perform for free!), as I'm usually not up to making an entire day of it. There's only so many times that you can pass the same vendors or look at the city vehicles before you're ready to head home. Besides, in the past, the city has had free buses to and from the event, with the pick-up area only a couple of blocks from home. The city quit doing that, though, several years ago. Since we now have to take a cab to and from the event - $8 to $10 each way - there are only so many trips there and back we're able to do for a free event. (I know, I'm getting picky, right? But considering that parking is limited near the event, if not costly (if you can't get a space at the library or city hall, other parking ends up costing $5 or more), it would make sense to continue the bus shuttle to and from the out-lying park. And yes, it would be convenient for those who live nearby and don't drive.)

Anyway, I had asked a cab driver we know if he'd be available to drive us there around 1:00; he said he'd probably be able to do that. So, at least that was taken care of.

And then, the wait: All week, the local meteorologists had been predicting a 50% chance of rain today. TODAY! Not yesterday, not tomorrow. Today! Country In The Park happens once a year (with their annual Chili Blaze the night before). It hasn't really rained in a while, so why today? But of course, you can't order the weather.

This morning, when I got up, the sky was a pale blue, without a cloud in the sky. Wonderful! I thought. Maybe that 50% chance would happen elsewhere in the Tampa Bay area. Right? Ha!

About 9:45, a cousin of mine, new to the area, mentioned meeting him in a nearby park (where the bus shuttle usually was) to hand him his mail. (Long story, best saved for another time.) Great. I hadn't even taken my shower yet.

So, into the shower, throw some clothes on, and head for the park, getting there about the same time R. did. Why do I mention walking there? Because as I headed through the back entrance to the park - more like a huge field that's part of the park - I noticed the rain clouds coming in, and smelled the coming rain. (Does anyone else smell rain?) As I handed R. his mail, the first big plops of rain hit us and the ground around us.

"I guess I'd better head out," R. said. He rides a motorcycle and isn't too wild about riding it in the rain, any more than I'm wild about walking home in the rain - especially when I heard one or two cracks of thunder.

When I got home, I fixed breakfast and discovered that one of my two cats - Drexie, a gray tabby - would so love to help me eat my breakfast! She's so helpful like that!

We're about to have another visit from family...but that's okay.

Will we end up at this year's Country In The Park? Probably. Will we stay long? Probably not. Will we be back to see and hear Crystal Gayle? Even though I'm not heavily into country music - I tolerate most of it, and do like several country acts - I wouldn't mind being there this evening. But I don't think I'll make it. But maybe you could?

If you do go and hear her, drop me a comment - let me know how you liked her act!