Normal's Sweet Corn Blues Festival

One of my favorite events here, the Sweet Corn Blues Festival, is almost here! Whoever came up with this idea, combining blues and sweet corn - two staples here in central Illinois - deserves some kind of reward.

Summer plans 2009

13 days until summer! I'm actually starting to get my summer plans thought out a little early this year. Besides writing my capstone paper for work and other projects, I'm planning on attending a few festivals and visiting friends. My plan so far:
June 12-14: Chicago Blues Festival
July 22-26: One Day in July (Minneapolis, MN)
August 15-16: Sweet Corn Blues Festival (Normal, Illinois)

One day in July

I've noticed that there is going to be a One Day in July street festival this summer in Minneapolis! I went to this festival the last time it was held 5 years ago and loved it! If you haven't heard of it, it commemorates the 1934 Minneapolis truckers strike that helped precipitate the labor organizing wave of the 1930s and led to Minneapolis being a union town. Its title refers to a bloody confrontation when the business-backed Citizens Alliance attacked strikers and killed two of them. Without the heroism of these unionists, there would be no "American dream." My friend posted a draft flyer she made for the event (the one posted here on the left is from 2004), and there is also a website (as of now, there is no content on the website).

I wanted to visit Minneapolis this summer, so maybe I'll plan my trip around the festival!