Arts and Crafts Fair

Have i told you how much i love living in Catonsville? It somehow is a suburb (11 miles to my office downtown) that rocks a small-town feel. Yesterday was the Catonsville Art and Crafts Festival. It was supposed to be on the main street (Frederick Rd) about a block up from the library. I have never been, so Kate P and I decided to walk there from my house. I think i was expecting some tables along the sidewalk and maybe a funnel cake stand. Not in Catonsville. They closed the road - the flipping main thoroughfare - for over three blocks; there were vendor tents on both sides of the road as far as the eye could see: Not only were there tons of actual arts and crafts vendors, there were local businesses, civic organizations, churches, schools, a kids' area (where the Girl Scouts had a table selling cookies a month before season - HAHA), not one but two stages with live music and tons of food. It was a freaking street fair 2 blocks from my house. I love this place. Kate and i did pretty well on the spending. She got some yummy hand cream for herself and her secret pal while i bought cookies and an Andean Flute CD - i tried to resist and even walked away twice, but the guy was playing selections from the CD live at his booth, changing flutes during songs. It was awesome and i just had to have it. (upon listening to the CD it is indeed fabulous) I also got a FREE wall paper book for crafting purposes - free, people, free. Oh, and i was able to talk to someone from my bank about a saving account question. All on a bright sunny day in the middle of the street. The most incredulous thing i saw? In front of Bill's Music House, where they were offering free guitar lessons, there were two guys playing guitars and kazoos. Yep. Kazoos in fancy-schmancy harmonica holders. I nearly peed myself. I love this place.