BY: RACHEL WUMKES
I’m not referring to today as Friday. While Friday normally gives me heart-palpitations of excitement and wonder for the weekend ahead, this week is different. This week is something special, a whole year in the making.
This week… it’s Harvest Festival Eve.
The day before the greatest day of the year. The one we’ve planned for, trained for, practiced for. It’s the day of all days.
Epic. Extravagant. Spectacular.
And that day, my friends, takes place TOMORROW in Clear Lake.
Rain or shine, the streets of downtown Clear Lake will be packed with people as they peruse the huge, open-air vendor market. The Farmer’s Market will set up shop downtown as well, offering their bountiful harvests from gardens and farms. It’ll be a day filled with shopping, live music, wine/beer tasting, and then more shopping.
And. It. Will. Be. Perfect.
The weatherman says there’s a 40% chance of rain in the afternoon.
Doesn’t even faze me in the least.
I’m waking up and hopping straight into my yoga pants for the Champagne 5K.
I hate running with every ounce of my being, but I’m still going to do it. I might run. I might jog. I’ll definitely walk some. Still, I’ll be burning a whole bunch of extra calories so that I can imbibe on all the bits and bobbles and tasty morsels I want.
All. Day. Long.
The best part of this entire day is that it’s engulfed inside a Friday and Sunday like none other. First up, Friday (tonight) the film crew shooting footage for the Don McClean documentary “The Day the Music Died” is in town, and they’ll be at the high school football game to record a sing-along beyond epic proportions.
In fact, it might even be legendary.
Because we are going to sing not one, but TWO choruses of “American Pie” at the very top of our lungs for all the world to someday see. We’re going to let our Clear Lake pride shine brighter than it’s even shone before as we show the world that, yeah, you might think the music died that fateful night in February of 1959…
But it’s still alive in Clear Lake, baby!!!!
On the flip side of Harvest Festival, we’ve got the Clear Lake Fire Department’s annual pancake breakfast. And I’m sorry, but there’s not a whole lot better in life than these special-recipe pancakes covered in ooey-gooey syrup.
Seriously.
Especially if one should have a little “too” much fun at Harvest Festival.
And so, while we’ve had another magnificent week at the Lake, I must admit I’m ready for this weekend. I’m ready for all the fun, all the memories, all the reasons we choose to live in the outstanding community in North Iowa.
I’M READY!!
Are you?