2019 May 26, Un-Grooming Report; Forestville Festival July 13-14, 2019
There are really important things buried in the non-grooming report below. I know what you are both thinking; “ok, just tell us what we need to know and skip the other bovine processed grass. Sorry, but to quote the great grooming report guitar maestro, Jimmy Hendricks after being admonished for his sharp edged performance. With a quarter million revelers at his feet begging for some silky stuff that would “just grab them”, he prepared to unleash his National Anthem and told them, “Dig it,… I just can’t do that.”.
I am envious of the truly retentive. It is early in the day so I still believe summer storage wax will be applied this year. However, the summer calendar fills up quickly and that task is likely to fall to one of its more rewarding evil twins (like going for a bike ride, water skiing, sailing, trail running and VOLUNTEERING FOR THE FORESTVILLE FESTIVAL JULY 12 & 13 …).
I remember the day when summer events were few and far between in the Queen City. The harbor was industrial with what is now Mattson Harbor Park under a 200’ high pile of coal. Fireworks were set off at the football field in what is now the Berry Events Center parking lot. No one came to Marquette to celebrate the 4th of July. Festivals were things you heard about; not attended. There were no point to point mountain bike races, running Marathons or music festivals to keep track of. Now, if you don’t mark your calendar early you risk being double booked on some key date.
The Forestville Festival date is carefully place to optimize reveler’s enjoyment. We are at the end of what our family always called, “slush season” with the last patch of snow melting last week. I almost took the duck tape off my road bike shoes yesterday. I was 40 miles into a wonderful ride and my feet were actually warm; in May! People living below the 47th parallel see shoes covered in duck tape and are wont to say, “maybe it’s time for new shoes”. The very cold spring has pushed the start of Black Fly Season into June. Head nets are great when the brook trout are hitting anything put in front of them but not on camping weekends. So, the four week Black Fly season ends in late June.
High summer is the six weeks from July 1 – August 15. The traditional end of summer was always the start of the Escanaba “State” Fair. There was no Marquette County Fair of note way back then. To be fair, summer is really eight weeks long but only six in a row. We do normally get two other summer weeks but no telling when. We haven’t seen any so far.
So, smack in the middle of high summer is the Forestville Festival. It is what Woodstock wanted to be; a music festival in the woods. Our Forestville trail head is ideal. The ski stadium is a large grassy field in summer. The stage is a site right out of a movie set. Check out the Arabesque tent. Carved through the woods are camp sites and countless miles of trails.
The Forestville Festival supports the Noquemanon Trails Network’s mission. 100% of the profit goes to help build and maintain the wonderful trail network we have come to know and love. Please go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/forestville-2019-tickets-58727981975 and help make the 4th annual festival another successful event. Volunteer opportunities are still available. A 4 hour shift will entitle you to an admission ticket.
See you there.
Sondo