Dave Hawkins

May 3, 2004- The Monday after :O)
WOW! I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be doing a Songwriters' Workshop or building an ark! Columbus was more than slightly wet... as was every other city in Ohio.
We pulled into the Central Ohio Folk Festival around 11AM Saturday. The sun was breaking through, but not quite enough to dry the already saturated landscape of Scioto-Darby Metro Park. It is, however, a beautiful place on the West-side-outskirts of Columbus. A wonderful wooded area and far enough away from major highways that you're not hearing the rumbling of trucks as you're trying to commune with Nature.
It was fantastic reuniting with old friends I haven't seen in at least a year! With our good friends Bob and Billie Kirby I think it's been longer than that! Anyway, the spotlight concert was good, even though there wasn't a huge crowd, afterwards it was off to the workshop which was fun.
Sinusitis is HELL!!! After my workshop I bid adeau to find some solace in Tylenol and Sudaphed and Wendy and I headed off to hook up with my youngest daughter Maura, my oldest, Nicole and my 2 granddaughters- Kaylee and Aubrey. We went to the Park of Roses played on the swings and teeter-totter (OH! My achin' back!). And off to Friendly's for a slightly overpriced dinner, (better than average ice cream, though).
Sunday it was back to the Festival. This time Mother Nature did NOT cooperate! Pouring-down, drenching rains all night long had turned the festival grounds into a marsh. The ENTIRE festival was moved into an enclosed shelter building. For a small, all volunteer festival it amazes me just how good these folks are at making changes that would whiplash most! With 6 of us workshop presenters crammed into this building it was obvious that there would be MAJOR clashing of fiddles-dulcimers-guitars-songsters, etc. So Nancy, Sharon, Fred, and the whole gang decided (after a sequestered meeting in the ladies room---) that the workshop presenters would be placed in the middle of a huge circle, facing out and attendees would sit in an outer circle, facing in. Instead of a bunch of little workshops, it became a wonderful, HUGE jam-session/concert. In spite of the horrendous downpour outside everyone was inside, having a ball, singing along and enjoying the fireplace.
It's true, I DEARLY miss the annual trek to perform the Dublin Festival in Columbus. I do have to honestly say, the Central Ohio Folk Festival is a great remedy for me! I'm looking forward to 2005!
More later.
Keep in touch!
Peace!
Dave