All right, so October isn’t exactly summer, but the Fall Festival in Sister Bay, WI (held Oct. 12-14) was my last outdoor show of the season. I had high hopes, hearing from many it is the biggest festival on the peninsula.
Husby and I arrived in Door County on Thursday afternoon and went straight to the site of the craft/art vendor area to set up our canopy and a few props that needed assembly. We figured getting a jump on the set-up would give us more time to prepare the displays the next morning before the show started.
After setting up the canopy and weighing it down with many weights on all four legs we set off to have a nice little supper of superb seafood chowder and breadsticks at the Cornerstone Pub. Then we crawled into our cozy little motel bed for a good night’s sleep before the opening of what would be my biggest and best show ever.
The next day we arrived on site at 8:00 a.m., two hours before the show was to begin. We were greeted by frantic vendor neighbors who were unable to set up their displays. Why? Because during the night the mighty wind blowing off of Green Bay took hold of our heavily-weighted canopy and positioned it in the middle of the road, after which someone had moved it into an open space two tents down from our assigned spot. (How they moved it I’ll never know – there was about eighty pounds of weight on each of the four legs of the canopy.) I’m grateful someone got it out of the road, but I was certainly surprised to see our canopy was the only one affected by the great winds of Lake Michigan. Perhaps being from St. Paul, MN we were naive to the power of the autumn weather of Door County and misjudged how much weight was actually needed to keep the canopy in its spot. Or maybe our assigned spot was really the Burmuda Triangle of Mill Street.
That ocean is Lake Michigan. That hurricane is the wind off the lake. That ship is my canopy. Burmuda Triangle I say!
With the help of our neighbors (craft show neighbors are usually awesome in their helpfulness to those in need ~ it’s a karma thing) we got the canopy back in its assigned spot and set everything else up for the day.
It was a beautiful autumn day. Sales were tremendous. Tune in tomorrow to find out what happens after our first very successful day of the Fall Festival.
A sunny street corner in Door County, WI
Auntie B's Wax 
I’ll bet Door County is beautiful, with the Fall colors! So glad you did well…that has to be a boost at this time of year. What a nightmare to have your canopy blown down, after all your careful planning. Happy help was at hand!
I was afraid we’d miss the colors in Door County but they were in full swing ~ beautiful! I’ve never had a canopy blow over (and away) so not only do I have a little more experience under my belt but I also have a good story to tell.
I thought of you, Cindy, as we were looking out on the lake from our motel pier ~ wondered how many miles Beaver Island is from the tip of the Door County peninsula as the crow flies.
I don’t know the answer…but I know people take their motor boats from Beaver Island to the Door peninsula in good weather. I’m going to get over there one year!
Wow! Seems like it would be quite a distance. I don’t know of the Door peninsula is any more beautiful than Beaver Island, but it would be a fun change of pace if you ever get a chance. One day I’d like to get to your island!
I’d love that!
While you try to prepare yourself as best as you can for these events–and oh what work that can be–nature is the wild card. In this case, the really wild card!
Glad you survived it. That picture was ominous…
Thanks, Lorna. I’m glad I survived too! I’ve been really lucky in the past with my outdoor shows and the weather accompanying them. I guess I was due for a little misfortune.
OK, I’m staring at that “Lake Michigan” pic for a long while wondering…is she pulling our leg? Is that really Lake Michigan? Is that really like a tornado? Or did you nab that photograph and really was taken in the Bermuda Triangle? Please share!
You made me laugh, Kathy. No, that isn’t Lake Michigan, as far as I know. I found the picture(I think you can find the source by clicking on the picture) only to depict what it felt like being in a rainy, windy mess. “The Burmuda Triangle of Mill Street,” Mill Street being where I was stationed for the show. It’s a metaphor.
**grin** Thank you for telling the “story behind the story”!!