Crawfish Festival 2011

We spent most of our last Saturday of April in an area of Columbia known as Rosewood. Each year (this was my 3rd) they shut down the street and host the Crawfish Festival. It comes with most things that other festivals have --- bands, vendors, food carts, beer trucks, bouncy houses, cloggers, and, of course for this one...crawfish.

Last year they added a 5K and early the week before a friend, who is very involved with Camp Kemo (a camp for children with cancer), put out a call for volunteers for the 5k. If 35 people volunteered then $1000 would be donated to Camp Kemo. And, you'd get a tee shirt and wristband for the festival ($12 per person savings for us!) The SC Pest Control Association also sponsors Camp Kemo so I figured I had a little leverage to get Glenn to do this too. Ben, Glenn and I all did it and were assigned to "direct traffic" in front of Owens Field DURING soccer games! We had a good time, got a great walk in to and from our location, enjoyed the rest of the day at the festival. BUT, I learned that: soccer parents in Columbia can't read (S.T.O.P means cease moving the car, people), don't use blinkers (yes, I could have let you turn during that lull, but I thought you were going straight), are very impatient (really? Its soccer for kids NOT World Cup....5 minutes late for the safety for others??) and THEY ARE MEAN!!! I got yelled out, ugly hand gestured and even called a not so nice name by a guy who pulled into the runners and ran about 20 of them OFF THE ROAD. When (at the very end of course) the policeman pulled up to "help" I think he thought I would be the next inmate at the city jail I was so fed up with these people. I was shocked by how these people acted and had no concern for the safety of these runners who were interfering with their soccer game. (By the way, the Y had asked them to come early to avoid this issue, but 5th lesson of the day about soccer parents: they don't follow directions either.) I've always heard the "soccer mom" sterotype, but really didn't think it was a truth.....ummmm.....now I see why they've gotten such a bad rap. Those bad apples have ruined the bunch!

After the race we walked to turn in our signs and vests, get our wristbands and relax at the festival. We ate lunch at Rockaways and walked a few hours before heading home. Ben, however, ran into his buddy, Cullen, and stayed ALL DAY. I went back to get him later in the afternoon, but he ended up going home with his friend and I sat for a little while with some friends before heading home to get ready for the night's festivities.

the boys did a lot of playing until time to work!