2014 Alien Festival

If you have been around for over a year, then you might remember my post from last April 1st about the spontaneous celebration which occurred in my little town to remember the 1947 Maury Island Incident, when a UFO - the first post war sighting of a UFO - occurred.  Last year was a hoot - so I had to go this year too, even in my broken condition!

Everyone had so much fun last year, that they decided to do another celebration.  This time there would be UFO building contests, best Man In Black, Woman In Black, Alien, etc.  Attendance was only half of last year but it was a much better celebration!  However, I was not able to get lots of photos, nor chase down interesting aliens, as I am confined to a scooter until my leg heals from all of the breakage I wrought upon myself.  :(

First two entries, one rough but with lasers which reflected off of the smoke well as it got darker.  Little one was radio controlled.

An hour later a hovercraft! based UFO showed up, the clear winner in my book!

This year's flash mob was by junior and senior high girls, well until a gang of liquored up Men In Black jumped in and quickly learned that you can not mimic when everyone turns around and now you are in the front.

Sorry no alien photos as they all hung out up around the rock band which was blaring away.  It was a hoot to watch the hovercraft come in to lyrics of, Eli's Coming!  But, it was a real one and it even had to execute a 90 degree turn to get around the truck that brought in the speakers and lights for the band.  When it had to made a turn, the driver got a huge cheer from the crowd!  I think like me everyone thought we would have to push it sideways, well until he figured his baffles to move left without hitting the rock band nor the truck.  It was powered by the darn biggest battery I have ever seen, and it was completely and utterly quiet.  I bet that six cell battery was into the 200 pounds or more range!

So, it was a mighty fun evening for me kneeling on my scooter trying to stay out of everyone's way.  A waitress from one of the bars was bringing me stuff since i could not exactly go anywhere.  Which I thought was darn thoughtful, I was the only non ambulatory person there, so it helped refresh a belief in the goodness of at least one in a crowd of about 500.  Most of the others excelled at stepping right in front of my camera as I pushed the shutter - I had a massive collection of backs, butts and sides of heads.  Amazing.

And there was a Bernese Mountain Dog, whom visited as well.  My favorite dog and not just because they came from the Canton of my heritage, nor that they are real dog sized, but because of the memories I have of being pulled around my village by one as a child in a dog cart.  Such happy, slobbery, warm fuzzy memories. Of course, they were work dogs and would be used to haul the milk cans from the milking barn to the road for pick up by the cheese factory - a mighty heavy task.