The
Lancaster Festival is an annual July celebration of music and art with events held in all corners of Lancaster, Ohio. My mom has had a display of her quilts in the festival many times in the past. She hasn't done it in awhile but this year she displayed Chloe's dress from our wedding. I can't wait to see it hanging up for the festival. I am going to be able to make it for the final day of the festival. I remember gathering with friends every weekend at OU-L and listening to the music. This year will be no different as I already know many of my friends will be there. Can't wait to show Millie off too! We will be listening to the sounds of the Lancaster Festival orchestra as well as Lee Ann Womack.
Here is a bit more about the festival from the website...
On August 5, 1984, The Columbus Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Music Director Christian Badea, presented a Picnic and Pops concert at Ohio University-Lancaster. This was the first concert held at OU-L's outdoor auditorium, which was to become the home stage of The Lancaster Festival Orchestra in 1988.
The "Lancaster Festival" was inaugurated in 1985, under the artistic direction of Maestro Badea. Artistic Advisor Al Romano was joined by Festival Managers Eleanor Hood and Barbara Hunzicker. The '85 Festival had a 8 day run and included two CSO symphony concerts, a CSO chamber concert at St. Mary Church, and a week full of community arts and music events. The '85 Festival concluded with a memorable live battle reenactment on the hills above the OU-L Amphitheatre, accompanied by the CSO performing Beethoven's "Wellington's Victory."
The Festival was extended to 10 days in 1986 as "Lancaster Festival USA," timed to coincide with the Statue of Liberty's 100th Birthday celebration. Programming expanded to include ballet, folkloric dance and drama. Performances and special events at locations throughout the city included a mixture of classics, jazz, Broadway, bluegrass, arts and crafts, food, fun, and fireworks. Highlights in 1986 included performances by soloists Michael Murray, Marvis Martin, Vinson Cole, Carter Brey, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Ballet Met Columbus performed under artistic director John McFall. To commemorate the appearance of Halley's comet that year, a huge, ethereal, twinkling comet was installed in the high vaulted ceiling of St. Mary Church.
1987 events included performances by the CSO and soloists Joseph Swensen and James Tocco. The Zoppe family Circus came to town for four performances and UPBEAT, a week-long musical adventure for children, took place at the Fairfiled County District Library. Ballet Met returned, and soloists from Opera Columbus were part of the noontime downtown bandstand series. 1987 also saw the first Festival performance of the Lancaster Chorale.
In November of 1987, the Columbus Symphony decided to leave the Lancaster Festival to concentrate on their own Picnic & Pops series. The cameo board hired Maestro Gary Sheldon as the Festival's Music Director. Between February and June '88, Sheldon auditioned over 300 professional musicians and selected the 65 who became The Lancaster Festival Orchestra. Festival organizers also had to recreate much of the infrastructure that had previously been provided by the CSO, including the orchestra stage and concert shell. The Lancaster Festival Orchestra performed it's first concert on Saturday, July 23, 1988, beginning the evening with Glinka's 'Overture to Russlan & Ludmilla'. That evening's concert also included a special narration of John William's 'Suite from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"' by Christopher Reeve.
From that whirlwind beginning in 1988, the Lancaster Festival and it's Orchestra have continued to grow, becoming the versatile and artistically sound organization that it is today.
On Sunday, we all went to church. Even without Dad sitting with us (he was serving communion), we took up an entire pew! Millie was really well behaved until about the last 5 mins. She and a boy in the pew in front of her were passing his toy shovel back and forth. It was all fun and games until the little boy wanted it back and Millie didn't want to give it up! Crying ensued and we had to leave. But other than that, she did great. 
After a family lunch at 4 Reasons, we laid around the house for a very lazy Sunday. I was still trying to catch up on sleep from my overnight shift. That evening, Mom/Dad made a lovely dinner for us out on the patio. See Millie's new bib? Mom made those because Ikea didn't have them anymore. They protect all of her cute clothing and are great to wash up after. 
Sunday ended on a fabulous note. We went for a walk along Lancaster's paved walking/biking path. We did 3.5 miles and Chloe walked almost the entire way! The ladies (Courtney and Millie) rode in Kari's new side-by-side stroller. They got along swimmingly after a small tiff when Millie kept stealing Courtney's sunglasses off of her face. Big props to Grandpa D for running into Kroger to get us bug spray! We had a great day!
