The American Brass Band Festival

I have to admit that parts of this country seem a little foreign to me.

We drove down to Danville, KY to take in the sights and sounds of the American Brass Band Festival today. The whole experience was quintessential Americana. Taking place and Centre College, the stage is set up at one ends of a slightly hilly, grassy quad. Well-worn paths crisscross the green expanses with the occasional ancient oak tree spreading out a shadowy blanket. People of all ages have set up blankets and lawn chairs in a helter-skelter pattern, areas under the trees being occupied by people content to listen and chat amongst themselves, while the area directly in front of the bands is occupied by true connoisseurs of marches and big band music. These souls, in preparation for exposure to the hot sun of southern Kentucky in the summer, have come prepared with their large golf umbrellas firmly staked to mark their territory.

Further back, in a sunny grassy valley, a random assortment of kids frolic under the nominal supervision of their parents. There's a pair of red-headed boys under the age of four, obviously brothers, dressed identically in plaid patchwork shorts and polo shirts. Two young girls, barely old enough to walk, find each other and communicate in a way which only they understand. A blonde girl, all curls and dimples throws her stuffed animal into the air, trying to catch it, but mispredicting her own uncoordinated throws. Slightly older kids try to toss and oversized frisbee, only to have it caught in the wind.

As the ground rises from the open valley, the parents and grandparents of these kids sit, discussing life in small town America, placating the children when they come for another cookie. They sprawl on well-worn quilts, handmade of left over fabric, some children's prints, but mostly mundane stripes and checks. The women seem pregnant and happy, wearing billowing sun dresses, while the men seem like everyman, stoic and hard working. Children wearing glitter-painted tee shirts or football face painting wander up from time to time, only to be attacked with another layer of sunscreen. The biggest crisis of the day for these families is the cake that was stepped in by one of the smaller children.

To the left, a teenage couple lay on a blanket, enjoying the ambiance, occasionally playing with the nearby children. They fit perfectly in the scene, the small slice of young love. The girl wears a flowing tank top which unselfconsciously reveals her plain, white bra straps underneath. The boy could have walked out of Abercrombie and Fitch in his outfit with the life guard shirt. They hold hands and exchange glances, but manage to hint at their feelings underneath. All seems well in the world.

Still, this leaves me wondering where I fit in this picture.