Cherry Blossom, Weekend One

Update: Both the bed race and downtown galleries are now complete (see links below); the parade gallery is in process and should be uploaded Friday. Thanks!

Warning: long post ahead. Folks wonder why I’m late with putting stuff up; instead of developing what I already have am behind on, I added 1187 new raw photographs to the collection this weekend. Wow.

2009′s Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off with a bang here in Macon. Not only did we have beautiful weather — perfect spring days in the South — but two days of fun events and awesome photographic opportunities were more than enough to have the camera lead me out and about.

The posted collection starts with yesterday’s Cherry Blossom bed race. Since covering the construction of the Magnolia racer Thursday, I’ve been looking forward to the actual event — and wasn’t disappointed, even if “we” were beaten pretty handily:

Fun time, even in defeat. (LOL!)

It was supposed to be followed by a sunset with some hot-air balloons, but that event was unfortunately scheduled at a venue that Gerald and I flat-out couldn’t get to. (Attention, Festival planners: move it back to the airport!!)

We decided instead to catch the sunset downtown:

Macon Spires

We tried again later to get to the balloon event, only to still be deterred by traffic. Hmph.

Sunday, however, more than made up for it. Gerald was busy, so I took on the parade solo — and went a little nuts, taking over six hundred photographs.

A few are details, celebrating the perfect spring day:

Macon’s “Blossom Season”

Those spots aren’t lens grunge — they’re bees, doing their pollinating duty. Okay!

Some of the photographs from this Festival day are what you’d expect; “typical” of what you’d usually get in a parade, including clowns:

“Kodak Moment!”

Further, all of the important folks hereabouts own a pink jacket, which they pull out once a year. Here’s one such person, whom I’m always happy to see working the crowd:

Congressman Jim Marshall (in Pink)

I also tried to get some local flavor in the mix. Including, for instance, the kids that make up the bands, not just the group shot:

Tuba Reflections

Or these ladies, who got to their feet every time an American flag went by:

Stand and Salute (the Flag)

The parade was much longer than expected, nearly an hour and a half. Better still, it included some, uh, “folks” I didn’t anticipate — from out of this world:

Storm Trooper Takes Aim

Many others were from this world, welcomed to Middle Georgia from as far away as, say, South Asia:

Celebrating Korea — in Macon

Last but certainly not least, an abundance of cute kids, including these guys along the parade route:

Curbside Buddies

Or some fantastic curls, on the way back to the car:

Post-Chocolate Snack

What a great weekend.

The bed race gallery has been posted complete; the downtown photostroll and parade galleries, more than two hundred developed photographs in all, will be finished up in the next few days. Meanwhile, more Festival events — and hopefully some “catching up on” posts — soon. Fun!