FUTURE FARMERS FAIR PARADE

LAST NIGHT I ATTENDED THE FUTURE FARMERS FAIR WHICH IS IN HEALDSBURG. LUCKILY THE TORRENTIAL RAIN HAD STOPPED BY THEN. IT HA BEEN UNUSUALY COOL THIS YEAR. THE PEOPLE CAME OUT OF THEIR HOUSES AND WATCHED THE FAIR FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 HOURS. THE FAIR IS KIND OF A COMMERCIAL AFFAIR FOR THE POLITICIANS AS WELL AS FOR THE LARGER COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES. SOME OF THE BANKS WERE REPRESENTED AS WELL.

THEY ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF PRESCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS ON FLOATS AND OTHER FLOATS SUCH AS THE FOUR H, FARMERS MARKET GROUP, AND OLD TRACTORS. ONE OF THE COUNCIL WOMAN WAS RIDING A SMALL CART PULLED BY A MINIATURE HORSE.

THE GROUP I ENJOYED THE MOST WAS A DANCING GROUP FROM MEXICO WHO HAD MADE THEIR COSTUMES FROM SHREDDED CLOTHS AND DANCED TO A MEXICAN BAND ON A FLOAT. THEY MADE MASKS FROM PAPER MACHE OR FROM STRAY, AND THE HAD TALL HATS MADE FROM STAW. SOME OF THESE DANCERS REMINDED ME OF KOKOPELLI WHO HAS A HUMPED BACK - THEY HAD PUT A HUMP ON SOME OF THEIR BACKS. THEY MUST HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED AT THE END OF DANCING IN CIRCLES. THERE ALSO WAS A HIGH BAND DRESSED IN FARMERS CLOTHING AND THE DIRECTOR CARRIED A PITCH FORK.

I SAW SOME OLD FRIENDS AND TEACHERS I HAD KNOWN. MOST OF THE PEOPLE WERE IN GOOD SPIRITS.

THERE WERE SOME BEAUTIFUL HORSES WHO HAD ARABIAN DRESSED WOMEN RIDERS AS WELL AS SOME COWGIRLS. THE WAS A MARIACHI MEN GROUP RIDING AND DANCING WITH THEIR HORSES.

OF COURSE THERE WERE MANY FIRE ENGINES AND OLD TIME CARS WITH THE NEW MAYOR.