Havre De Grace Arts Show

**UPDATE**  Cross this off the "bucket" list.  Mostly a craft fair with a lot of jewelry and photography.  Low on the finer arts indeed.  A few food offerings, but not much & nothing to brag about.  Best deal of the day was "Del's Lemonade"- a R.I. company.  No, it's not the official State Beverage (u think that I'm joking, don't you). 

It was a close call between Autocrat coffee syrup and the lemonade which you could purchase from a truck on the way to URI and the nearby state beaches.  More of a slush with lemon bits in it.  Good!

However, Autocrat had been around for generations.  I grew up on it as a kid.  Every year when we were up North for summer vacations- we'd buy a ton of it.  It was a sad day when we ran out.  Then it was just adding regular coffee and lots of sugar to your milk for flavoring.  Even today, my cup of java is basically milk & sugar, with a touch of coffee.  LOL!

But I digress...

The fight was on in the state lege for the official state drink.  Unfortunately for Del's, they were promoted by a Republican state legislator who was also a franchise owner in Middletown, RI. (part of Newport County).  Every year on the last lege session, he would bring his truck by and supply freebies.  BTW, the lege houses are NOT air-conditioned.  Better to get them to past that budget- FAST!

So, in very Democratic R.I., no lemonade for the State drink.  He may also have been the minority whip at that point.  They could have had TWO state drinks, but NO-O-O-O.

So, I've just made a short story VERY long indeed.

It's today & Sunday from 10-5 pm. in Tydings Park and--- it's free!  So why not?  This week I may purchase show tickets for the Lantern Queen Riverboat.  This is on sailboat race night (Thursday) & is their last August cruise.  The ship features dinner and a trip down the Susquehanna.  Not inexpensive, to be sure, but a nice night for a guest. 

On Sunday there is the Steppingstone Museum's old time baseball game- 1880's rules- no gloves!  "Dauntless" is the home team & the game begins at noon with a $3.00 admission charge to the park.  I have not yet been to this museum or any of its festivals although I've been darn close.  Usually bad weather was the deciding factor.  Oddly enough, their website makes no mention of this game.  But I shall not be deterred!
Then there's the Tues. Aberdeen concert featuring the Bay Country Gentlemen at Festival Park- 7pm, though the latter's website specifies 6:30- 9.  And they should know.  Ahhh, barbershop, I'm thinking.  So much to do, so little time.  End of summer- downright bittersweet.