L U N A T A L K with Eva Moon

Tip of the Old Derby

July 13, 2009 on 10:29 am | | In Arts, General Musing, In the news

A cyclist went down. In the 69 years that the Redmond Criterium has been running (and boy are their legs tired!), I don’t know how much biker skin has become incorporated into the pavement of downtown Redmond, but I imagine it’s enough to make a whole new biker.

The nation’s longest running bicycle race played out Saturday under a brilliant sun, surrounded the usual cheerful, small-town festivities. As an arts commissioner, I get to walk in our goofy little parade handing out fliers for the Redmond Summer Arts in the Parks series. (“Arts in the parks! Free concerts in the parks! Arts in the parks! Free concerts! Arts in the parks!” ) My friend and fellow commish, Latha Sambamurthi dresses me up for the parade each year and it’s a chance to feel like a Bollywood movie star for a few hours. I love it.

The festival booths run to chiropractic spinal exams, Kiwanis and dairies, the food runs to bricks of curly fries the size of the mayor, and the music runs to 60s-70s-80s covers, but there were two beer gardens and any day that ends with fireworks has something going for it.

It’s good to be reminded that fun can be had without wi-fi.

BTW, the biker who fell was seen walking about the festival later, apparently unconcerned that he was missing about a quarter acre of skin.

See more like that one:

• Play Freebird!
• Deploring the Rings
• Showtime!