The 25th Annual Auburn Day and Duck Race must have surpassed everyone's expectations because it did mine; it was chock full of festivities, fun, entertainment, food and excitement! The day began very sunny and later mixed with sun and clouds and just a few dark clouds overhead later in the day brought barely a couple drops of rain. The tents were set up all along the center's roads and people milled about the street making way every few minutes or so for the Roaming Railroad giving free rides all day.
Down the street to my right before the crowds
That duck balloon on the train looks unreal......strange?!
New sign
Down the street to my left before the crowds
The crowds filled the street.
This is my booth setup with my new sign. A little more embellished with my design logo on one end and a heart on the other end. I love black and white, but also adding red to it. So I make the center circle in my logo red and the heart red on the other end. I'm very happy with how it came out, even after I ruined it twice putting the contact paper on it for protection!
Books by Killarney Traynor
My vendor neighbor to my right was the author, Killarney Traynor, who writes mysteries set in local New Hampshire areas. People came to her table having purchased books from her and wanting to know the latest!
A view of the street through the heart.
This was my new heart design for the Art Jam Bridge Fest on 9/23 in Manchester, a Zebrawood 3-tier heart.
The Griffin Free Library
Thank you Killarney!
She was a lovely person who purchased one of my new heart designs (the 2-tier smaller scale) and she loves blue. Hers was a pearl heart inlay with a blue jewel.
This is the smaller version of my new design, a Zebrawood 2-tier heart.
I brought a Zebrawood 3-tier heart with an amber jewel and abalam inlay to display that I did for a special order.
In the early 90's I worked at Heimlich's Nursery in Derry and I was asked to do a presentation called "Putting your garden to bed for the winter" at the Griffin Free Library. I had a great time preparing and doing the presentation. I remember saying that your garden is like your children and preparing it for the winter is like when you put your children to bed well fed and protected.
I cannot always walk around being a single vendor, but at this event because I was by the Griffin Free Library parking lot, there were many things happening. Early on were the Heel & Toe squaredancers from Manchester which were a joy to watch as you can see by the pictures. The organization obviously wants to update the dance with modern, popular music to entice new potential dancers and young people.
I love these action shots with the skirts flowing.
The caller had novice, audience participants actually doing the moves!
There were performances by the Ameri-Kids Baton & Dance Studio which were darling.
The caller made a strong point that once you learn the basic moves, you can squaredance anywhere around the world because it is in English and each caller tells their own story or sequence. It was great!
the Ameri-Kids Baton & Dance Studio
The Company A 12th SVR Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War graced the streets with their depictions and costumes.
Cracker Jacks the clown is dressed to perfection!
She came back to my booth later in the day and purchased an ebony heart with pearl heart inlay, still smiling away and friendly and fun as ever.
Cracker Jacks magic show with the kids
And then there was Cracker Jacks the Clown! A bundle of smiles and energy and magic to enchant the children. She went strong all day long!
Thanks Barbara!
Don Sowa of Professional Concrete Park Benches
One of my other vendor neighbors was Don Sowa, above, who worked for the City of Manchester for years and retired from there to revisit his idea of a business making the steel reinforced concete forms for these park benches. He offers free delivery and setup! Across the way from my booth was the award winning Dan Szczesny; author, journalist and speaker. Then I also met Jess Traynor, a relative of Killarneys, from Jess's Delectables, who was urged by the organizers that she regularly works with to have a booth in the event.
Dan Szczesny's booth
Dan's travel memoir
Justine and Ted....thanks guys!
Thank you Christine and Roberta, and please reach out to me if you would like that instrument made by my husband. He said....great!
I love my customers and when I see all their smiling faces after the shows, it makes it so wonderful for me. Christine and Roberta above were so cheerful and interested in my items and they purchased a redheart heart with golden pearl heart inlay, as did Justine on the left.
Thanks so much Lorraine!
Lorraine, above, made me so happy when she purchased the wristlet she is holding. I made it for the size of glasses or iPod, but I think I should make them a little bigger... she had a big cellphone.
Nice to see you again Wayne!
Thank you Riley!
Riley was my last customer of the day and she purchased an Osage Orange abalone dot inlay heart and I ran after her when I realized I had not given her the tag with the wood and inlay type. It's important to me for my customers to know.
I met new customers, but I also met an old customer. Wayne Hall bought a velvet drawstring bag from me at the 2016 Made in NH Expo at the Radisson. I use Wayne as an example of men that buy my bags and also as an example of what people put in them, which in his case was his special wooden chess pieces.
Miss Seacoast 2018, Samantha, and Miss Granite State's Outstanding Teen 2018, Olivia
Lucy, mom, and Skyler, Miss Goffstown Outstanding Teen 2018
So many interesting people and things were walking around the event. Quite a few outstanding teens that I couldn't photograph them all. And chickens?!
Sunday Ave
Musical entertainment was abound with the main underlying music of DJ Paul Lepine. I did not see him, he was too far away, but I could hear his terrific popular music selections. I took a picture of the young rockers from afar, Sunday Ave. As a rock musician of over 35 years myself, they sounded pretty tight. Also, the Pinkerton Academy Band performed and marched so stately through the streets. The march in is reserved, but the march out is animated, full of drum cadences and a bit of dancing.
The front of the march out
The powerful drums
The swingin' tubas
And lastly, the groups that carry and wheel out the big pieces of equipment
People crowded in on the bridge
And last, but certainly NOT least.....THE DUCK RACE!!!!! As the crowd gathered to full capacity on the bridge and all around everywhere that you could see the river, the numbered ducks came floating down. It is hard to see, but below is the first duck going over the waterfall. I was far away, but the idea and excitement still comes across and when that duck went over, the crowd cheered and whistled. I kept the pictures of the ducks large to be able to see a little better.
The tiny yellow speck on the left is the first duck going over the waterfall, to the delight of everyone. What a beautiful fall photo.
After the first few, the ducks start coming down in greater numbers.
Another view of the bridge and notice on the right if you can, that is a gentleman in a yellow wetsuit who was in the river keeping tabs on things I guess.
A closer view of the Duckman