For the last 20 or more years, we have always had a tradition to browse Allentown every year with our good friends. We enjoyed every aspect of it, from the great smells from the food stands to the strolling musicians to the most talented artists. We always finished off our shopping with lunch at some interesting place. We have purchased art, prints and paintings from talented individuals to decorate our homes. Over the years, I purchased a boatload of earrings that I just had to have.
And then there are the stools we bought for our snack bar, the garden art and so much more.
We always ran into friends and / or family at the event as well – then Covid hit in 2020, everything changed and the world was put on pause.
No longer could we gather at any events for fear of catching the virus. We spent most of our time in solitude – no restaurants open, no concerts to attend – ordering everything and anything on Amazon. We concentrating on keeping healthy, getting a vaccine finally and learning to put our lives on hold. We started to fill our time with long drives, long walks connecting to nature and cooking new recipes. Much to our sadness, we lost a very good friend during Covid – the very friend who attended Allentown with us every year.
People are also reading…
When it was announced that Allentown would open up again this June, we were elated, but also very sad that our dear friend would not be joining us. Nevertheless, we planned to attend. As always, we arrived before the festival opened to get a good parking space. We found a parking lot very close to the start of Allentown that cost a little more, but so worth it. I could not believe how quickly crowds appeared as soon as the exhibits opened. In a few short minutes, the streets were mobbed with excited people, anxious to once again partake in the art show. We decided that we had better mask up for a little extra protection since the crowds were growing. The vendors were ready and well-stocked with beautiful merchandise.
Though I’m trying to reduce the clutter in my home and not add to it, I did manage to purchase a few small things. We could not resist the wonderful smell of fresh popcorn along our walk and walked out with a large bag to bring home. After almost two hours of window-shopping, we were more than…
Read More: My View: Finally enjoying a day at the Allentown Art Festival | Opinion