Happy Wheatland!

Last weekend, I attended the 35th Annual Wheatland Music Festival with my friend Irene. I had a WONDERFUL time! Everyone camps. Some have RV's and camp in large fields but we found the perfect spot in the pines for our little tent. Irene's son Ben came from Ann Arbor and her son Nate and his friend Veronica came all the way from upstate New York.  The guys also had a group of friends with them, one had even come from Seattle!  They created their own little "compound" of tents in a different area away from the moms but we ran into them several times during the weekend. Ben even danced with his mom until 2am on Saturday night - Sunday morning?

There are three stages, the Main stage shown here, the Centennial Stage and the dance stage.

Some of the acts that were on the Centennial Stage were lesser known but just as good as the main acts.  We even got to see our own Jen Sygit and Jeremy Kittel. The dance stage was always hopping from early morning yoga, afternoon dance classes (I took 3 dance classes), and evening dances that went well after midnight. In addition, there are activities for children and teens and two other workshop tents where you could learn how to play different instruments.

I took a beginning Bodhran class and since I didn't have a bodhran, we learned on a pizza  box with a dowel for a tipper.

One of my favorite parts of Wheatland besides the relaxed family atmosphere was the impromptu jammin that went on. Many people bring their instruments and just get together and start playing. Here's a group playing in the picnic area.  Both nights there was a Stringband playing in the clearing near our tent - great to fall asleep to. The Fabulous Heftones from Lansing kept popping up here and there. Even little kids would get out their fiddles (I even saw a little girl on a camp stool with a cello) and leave their cases open hoping you'd show your appreciation. I was only gone two-and-a-half days but I feel like I had a real vacation.