Fall Festival 2012

It has become a tradition in the Mangiaracina household to attend the annual Fall Festival in Fairfax City. We kind of stumbled onto it the first year after we spent the day apple picking.  Last year, we made a point of going and brought Lucy to join in on the fun. This year was extra special because we were able to share it with James (who was outside my belly this time!) and Grandma Q.

It was a perfect fall day with a shining sun and a cool breeze.  We dressed James in his new outfit that we think was quite appropriate for the outing.  I mean, doesn't every baby need a fleece vest to match his fleece pants? :)

We met Grandma by the fire station and started browsing through the many vendors' booths.  There was everything from photography to jewelry to homemade dog biscuits to crocheted hats.  The 2 political campaigns were out in full force along with a slew of local organizations.  We made our way through the crowd searching for our favorite vendor: Jack's Pup Stuff.  This is where we go each year to buy Lucy's collars.  Last year we got 2 adorable collars (bumble bees and doggy fire hydrants).  This year, we decided to get 3 - lady bugs (which she is wearing now, more bumble bees and a holiday collar with  mittens).

Another great thing about the festival is the people you run into.  This year's list included the Paynes - parents to one Miss Katie Payne and Mary Malloy - one of Aunt Suzy's good friends from elementary school along with her family.  

After catching up with some peeps and checking out the crazy hydraulic-induced cars at the mini car show, it was time to eat. Off we went to get our traditional noodles and chicken on a stick meal, kettle corn and ice cream.  :)

As per usual, James slept through most of the day and pretty much missed it all.  But you know what?  We'll take a sleep baby over a crying baby any day of the week.  Lucy was in all her glory checking out all of the smells and eating some chicken on a stick.  :)  Happy Fall everyone!

Fall Festival Fun

The smell of Fall is something that can't be matched. From the apple cider to the pumpkin patch to the hearty mums you can smell the season in the air. It is hard to believe that the sweltering heat of the summer is behind us and the crisp days of Fall are here. We have been so busy around here that Fall kind of snuck up on us and before we knew it, it was time for the annual Fall Festival in Fairfax City.

We happened upon this festival last year (check it out here) and had a really good time so we decided to hit it up again...only this time we brought the Lucy girl so that she could share in the fun. It happened to be a beautiful weekend so we were pretty psyched about checking out all the local vendors, sampling the carnival food and taking in the sites.


Since it was so nice out, it was PACKED so Ed had to hold Lucy most of the time so that she wouldn't get trampled. Talk about lucky...I was hoping for a piggy back ride, but no dice. :(


The best part about it is that even though it was so crowded, we did manage to bump into some friendly faces including one Miss Mary Molloy and family (Suzy Q's best bud from elementary school ) as well as Jessica Bush (fellow Chica from WTW).

After weaving through the crowd and purchasing some yummy treats for Lucy, we made our way to the important stuff ~ the food! This year Ed dined on some traditional carnival fare (cheeseburger and cheese fries) while I went gourmet with a wrap from Doug the Food Dude's food truck. But not before I got my hands on some kettle corn. LOVE ME SOME KETTLE CORN!! We found some shade and shared our eats with Lucy.


The day at the festival ended with a few new collars for Lucy, a fun lawn sign for the house and some soft serve.


This year, Gonzo's Nose was playing but we were too hot and tired to stick around for their set. Instead, we came home and enjoyed a late afternoon nap on the couch. I have a feeling that next year's festival will be a little different with the addition of a baby stroller. :)