The Children's Festival of Reading!

This weekend, Lydia and I attended the Festival of Reading, put on by the Knoxville Library and TONS of sponsors and volunteers.  It has been going on for years, but this was only our second visit.  

This year, my plan was to arrive early in the hopes of finding more parking options and less crowds.  We pulled into an almost empty parking garage about ten minutes before the festival began, walked the short distance to the fair grounds, and arrived at the arts and crafts tent just as it opened.

Seriously, we got a balloon, made a book work out of pipe cleaners, took a few pictures, all with out any crowds!  Lydia humored me through all of the above activities and kept pushing on to the end of the park where the bounce house was waiting.  She was one of only TWO kids bouncing at that point.  When she decided she had had enough, we headed to the playground.

The playground is a permanent part of World's Fair Park and I forget how much Lydia LOVES it. 

 Really, there is this whole festival with tents and activities and we are playing on the stuff that is ALWAYS here. Oh well! Last year and this year we ran into other kids we knew who were also playing on the playground.  This year it was a preschool classmate.

They played for a LONG time (probably only 30 minutes in mommy time) and then Lydia couldn't resist the fountains in the park.  

I usually don't want to deal with a change of cloths and towels and swimsuits, so my rule is that you can get as wet as you want but that is the end of our day.  When she is finished, we walk back to the car, where I always have an extra towel, dry off and go home.  

Pretty soon, Lydia's school friend showed up at the fountains too and the two girls had SO much fun playing in the water.

Lydia played until she was super thirsty and then spent a good long time drying off and drinking most of our slushy.

 We decided to get a corn dog, my all time favorite fair food, and eat while drying off in a nearby tent.  We had seats right up front when a quartet from the symphony set up and played an amazing concert accompanying a woman reading story books.  It was SO cool!

At the end of the concert, they let the kids try out a child's size violin.  I admit, I am a little biased, but even the lady from the symphony remarked that Lydia was actually making real music sounds.  Anyone know when kids can start violin lessons?

Finally, It was time to head home.  On our walk back across the fair grounds we signed up for the summer reading challenge at the library, watched a really cool Chinese dragon parade, danced with some Alice in Wonderland characters/ballerinas, and I thanked Lydia fir not being the kid who was throwing a fit because it was time to leave.  We had a WONDERFUL time and Lydia and I are both looking forward to returning next year with baby Joshua!