The Big Chill

 Last weekend, 15-16 May 2021, the Armidale Reigonal Council staged a brand-new event at Curtis Park down on Armidale's creeklands. It attracted a large number of people for several good reasons. The weather was brilliantly clear and reasonably warm for mid-May with the temperature 15 C or maybe a little more. Secondly, it was a food festival with a mssive variety of food-stalls supplying ethnic foods (I had a Turkist meal), or top quality foods produced locally or regionally. Alongside, there were many local breweries selling their wares - and I tried a couple of brews including a ginger beer from the Welder's Dog. Also available were various wines - and our disctrict has its own  "appelation controlee" as the French would term it. Other stalls were selling locally produced household goods of various kinds. Finally, and this really appealed to the younger generation, bands played jazz and rock numbers for much of the time. The volume was so loud it almost deafened me ... and I have a hearing problem.

So there you have it! A place to meet up with people like Dot and I did by prior arrangement. A place to sample delicious food and drink. A place to enjoy balmy weather and soak up the sun. A place to listen to 'popular music'. A place to walk gently around eyeing local produce and services. No wonder it was packed. The place even had the local constabulary to keep an eye on things. Let's have a look at some pictures of the event, starting with the entrance policed by the Armidale Regional Council.

Here's one of the several local bands in action.

Heaps of chairs and bags were provided to accommodate the listeners.

The craft breweries and wineries were groups together.

Likewise, other local craft producers were grouped together.

The came the foodies like the orange duck kitchen

The organisers provided heaps of tables and chairs in the middle of Curtis Park to accommodate people eating their lunches or sipping wines and beer.

As I noted earlier, there was a police presence but, surprisingly, on horse-back. Here they are awaiting a drink.

And also roaming around the park.

Here's Dot eating her interesting meal ... and in the left background there's Maria Hitchcock OAM, leader of the New England Visions 2030 group of which I'm a member.

And here, finally, is the royal flush of the event ... a collecion of portaloos. I've left the image small in case the picture reveals someone important exiting one of the toilets

It was a lovely event that I'd willingly attend next year if offered. And did any one looking at tthe pictures see any clouds in the gorgeously blue sky. Armidale's a great place to live for its many events and great environment.

AS