Alexandria Waterfront Festival

On Father's Day we went to the Alexandria Waterfront Festival along the Potomac River. We had a lot of fun riding carnival rides, seeing some good bands, and eating lots of cotton candy. We arrived right as a local kids band, Rocknoceros, was taking the stage. We had never seen them before but heard lots of good things about them. We weren't disappointed. Their songs are fun for kids but pleasantly tolerable for adults as well.

There were several tents with various freebies and we stopped at one that had some beach balls. The lady seemed smitten with Katie and said excitedly, "Oh! Do I have something that you are going to loooove!" We assumed (and hoped) she was going to hand her a beach ball but instead she pulled out a plastic tube and said, "a rain gauge! You'll love it!" Katie hasn't touched it since.

We then headed for the carnival rides. Katie had never been on anything other than a carousel. She was excited to ride them and decided on the Worm as her first ride. It consisted of a bunch of small cars (almost too small for her Dad to fit in) that went around in a circle and up and down. She loved it! We asked her what she wanted to ride next and she pointed at the kid's rollercoaster. We kept asking, "What do you want to ride Katie?" and she would always point to the rollercoaster. So with some trepidation from her Mom and a possible violation of the size rule (she was just below the height limit), we hopped in board. Her Dad managed to squeeze into the car with her and wedge her in place and rendered the seatbelt useless. Katie loved it and wanted to ride again. But the line was long, our tickets were gone, and our stomachs were growling. So we ate an italian sausage (me) and a gyro (Nancy) and cotton candy (Katie and me). Katie's review of the cotton candy was, "Yummy! I like it!"

At the festival we met up with some of our neighbors and ran into one of my coworkers, Patrick, and his family.

Afterwards, we caught some of Bill Kirchen's performance at the festival. He's a local legend on guitar and plays a fun old-fashioned Johnny Cash-inspired rockabilly guitar that is very enjoyable. After the festival, we had dinner at my favorite Tex-Mex place, South Austin Grill, but too our great dismay, they were out of chips and salsa. They have the best chips and salsa anywhere so we were crushed. But at least the meal was good.

All in all, it was a fun festival and a great way to spend a Father's Day.

More photos are here.


Katie and her Dad with Rocknoceros performing in the background.


Katie wasn't keen on being held when there was so much open space to run around in.


Katie's not sure what's she's gotten herself into on her first carnival ride.


On the dragon rollercoaster.


Wheeee!


Katie and her Dad show what Father's Day is all about -- sharing a bag of cotton candy while listening to good music.