Summer, the season of festivals

Ahh, summer, the season of sunshine, warm breezes, lots of ice cream and festivals!

Yes, the community festival season is upon us. There are more than 600 festivals held in our state each year, according to the Indiana Festival Association. So, if you missed one, there are plenty more to enjoy this summer.

Why go to Indiana's festivals (don't forget the county fairs and the Indiana State Fair)?

There are more reasons than you can shake a buttered ear of sweet corn at (one of my favorites.)

Yes, there is the food, glorious food. OK, I admit some fair food can only be judged as that -- fair but there are lots of good choices too. Locally grown beef and pork come to mind. There is the afore mentioned sweet corn. Years ago, I indulged in deep fried vegetables. (Doesn't the fact they are vegetables outweigh the fact they are fried in fat and then covered with a drizzle of Ranch dressing?)

There are more reasons. I always learn something about commerce in our Hoosier state when I attend a festival or fair.

The most important reason to go is to see old friends!

I enjoy attending the animal shows and looking around at the crowd. There are always folks there I have known for years but maybe haven't seen in almost as many years!

Contrary to what too many people practice, "Man does not live by Facebook alone" and God did not create the Internet on the eighth day.

We humans are social animals and we need social contact.

I can think of no better way to mingle with friends than to see them at the local fair or festival.

Where else can you just visit without having someone "organize" it? In church, you usually have a short time before, between or after services to visit. That is even true of school and when you are in college, you are pretty much limited to your own age group. When you are 18 that is cool but when you get to be 40, 50, 60, you realize every age group has something to offer.

And, for the most part, the people who get out to go to the festivals are relatively healthy, so you probably won't be inundated with your friend's medical history, unless you ask about it. You may see some of those battery powered scooters but after being on my feet for hours at a time, I have thought the folks riding in them were to be envied not pitied!

Yes, summer is upon us and isn't it great we live where we do instead of way up north where the summers are considerably shorter than here in Indiana?