Lemon Festival

I am always on the look out for free (or super cheap) family outings. They are becoming fewer, and sometimes free almost doesn't seem worth it. But a couple of weekends ago we headed out to the Upland Lemon Festival. I've never really been one for the midway, but I love the cheesy local events on the entertainment stage. I like pie eating contests and Clydesdales carved out of butter. I like bull riding and baby lambs. It must be the Bakersfield roots that my family holds. And while the Lemon Festival wasn't huge, and didn't have a ton of "lemon-y" events, the atmosphere was pleasant and the weather was nice. The outing was last minute, so we packed up the dinner I was already planning and headed out. We bought fresh squeezed lemonade (with the money we found on the ground,) unpacked our dinner at a shaded table, and watched the entertainment; a local belly dancing studio of mostly women that probably should have stopped showing their midriff 20 years earlier. But the music was catching and I found myself smiling as the women thoroughly enjoyed dancing for an audience. We walked around a little, looked at the petting zoo and watched the elephant walk in circles at the elephant ride. Then finished at the stage again watching local school age girls do traditional Irish dancing. Lily loved the Celtic music, laughing, dancing, and clapping along. It was great family time.