Photo TR: Fall River Celebrates America '08

[pete4winds]

This weekend was this year's annual Fall River Celebrates America, and being Connor's first, I took him down the street to check it out. Because of the economy, it was smaller than in years past (in scale, but it still took up the entire park), with all local bands instead of national acts, but it was much more family-friendly. One of the really cool new things they had this year was a "beach" with inflatable palm trees where the kids could build sand castles (in the parking lot...taking that whole parking lot theme to a WHOLE new level).

 

IndyCar driver Vitor Meira's show car was on hand, for you open wheel fans, as was a small classic car show (they had eight cars originally, I got there when there were five left, and three of those were already preparing to be loaded onto their flatbeds).

 

The Marines and National Guard co-sponsored as they do every year, and manned the checkpoints at the gates. Normally, as a Navy veteran, I usually have nothing good to say about Marines (it's an "us vs. them" thing - you really have to be a sailor or marine to get the humor), but I have to really give credit to the marine manning the gate on the carnival side. A spot-on professional in every sense of the word, he even went so far as to ask how Connor was doing and whether I had enough food for him. Semper Fi, Sergeant (this ONE time).

 

Still no first credit for Connor, though, but we're working on that. Oh, and they actually had...ready for this? A Roll-o-plane! That's not something you see very often, particularly around here. I'm not enough of a flat ride afficianado to know whether it was an Eyerly or a knock-off, but it was pretty cool seeing one (last time I saw one was when I was a kid), and Connor was pretty fascinated (that is, before he fell asleep).

 

On to the photos!!!

Final late-entry view of the Aladin.

A quick beverage break for the lad.

The last thing a pit board sees.

Jen joined us later in the afternoon. Here she does her finest "trophy girl" pose.

Your basic Round-Up. It was running pretty fast and actually got some decent height.

They even had a Wisdom Aladin. Connor's not very interested.

And there it is!

So close, yet so far.

The closest Connor came to his first credit. Yes, if you're four months old, a Dragon Wagon would count.

Gorgeous '67 Camaro. This car made an appearance at the July 4th parade.

Flawless '62 Impala.

Connor's napping on the beach "catching some rays."

The "beach."

Nice '57 Bel Air.

Classic '32 Ford Roadster ragtop, leaving the car show area. The driver drinking a Del's lemonade really completed the scene.

Connor enjoys his first concert, despite what the look on his face says (he was getting sleepy).

Local band d'Alma.

OK, dad, maybe that wasn't so funny.

Connor's old car and his new one!

The show car of IndyCar driver Vitor Meira, Panther Racing.

[Moose]

Ahhh, Little Portugal Celebrates America (as we lovingly call it). It is where I rode my first and last Zipper. It is also where I lost my at one time devastating fear of heights.

 

THe sand in the parkinglot is really sad.

[pete4winds]

^ The sand...heh...what to say about the sand? It was a brilliant idea, giving the kids a little spot to make sand castles, but yeah...the placement was, well let's just be diplomatic and say it was a little uninspired.

 

Overall this year's FRCA (or should I say LPCA?) was good, mostly because it dropped from $10.00 to $3.00...and it's within walking distance of the house.