In September of 2022, I attended the Grand Rapids Riverfest https://www.grandrapidsriverfest.com/ to meet up again with those wonderful souls who made my potentially disastrous loss of my purse in Cancun survivable. https://www.talestrailsandtransformations.com/the-theft-or-part-one-of-the-journey-home-2/
The festival is sponsored by KAXE/KBXE Northern Community Radio, the oldest continually operating publicly owned radio station in the country. https://www.kaxe.org/ Upon my return to The World as I Know it, I joined the station as a financial contributor, which I’ve maintained. The festival is also sponsored by the city of Grand Rapids and is located on Grand Rapids Area Library grounds.
I was able to visit with nearly all of my compatriots from the previous February, the majority of which also attended the concert. I flew into Bemidji, as I planned to stay with my amazing friend and former coworker, Mary. She was the one to invite me on the adventure with folks who became “my Minnesota Peeps”!
Day I – Bemidji
I had spent the first night after arrival at Mary’s house north. of Grand Rapids. Is an extremely charming home, complete with small frogs in window wells and a nice garden out front.
While in Bemidji, I wanted to at least drive by the KBXE station, the one for which I have a bumper sticker, brought home from Isla Mujeres in February.
Day II – Grand Rapids
After a great breakfast at Minnesota Nice Cafe, I headed towards Grand Rapids. http://www.minnesotanicecafe.com/
I arrived in Grand Rapids early afternoon, and checked into my hotel, the Country Inn and Suites. https://country-inn-suites.com/usa-hotels/minnesota/grand-rapids/
And then I started to explore. My hotel was next to the Judy Garland Museum, which next to the home she grew up in. https://judygarlandmuseum.com/contact-us/
Lissa’s House
Lissa and John saved my proverbial bacon by putting me up in Isla Mujeres until I could get a temporary passport and head back home. Coincidentally, the couple are huge music fans. They had arranged for a local musician, Charley Walker and Mamma Wags to put on a concert the evening before the Riverfest. Lissa and John’s place is magnificent, but more on that later.
Charlie and Jill had given Mary and me a ride to Lissa and John’s, so they returned me to my hotel then proceeded to the camps they had set up near the next day’s concert.
Day III – The Concert
The day of the concert promised beautiful weather, and delivered! There was more than just the concert to tend to, once behind the entry point.
The library grounds had a number of interesting sights, including the KAXE radio station. I took photos, of course, in typical tourist fashion.
I also found art installations, displaying charming ingenuity:
I was fascinated by Minnesota’s sasquatch, and had great fun posing with him and his handlers!
Since I’d already met with several pals the previous day, the plan was to claim a describable location with space for all of us. I don’t know whether everyone would have sat together if I hadn’t been there, but I was sure glad everyone did form a “reunion group”, even if it was for my behalf!
And the music, of course!
Food and merchandise:
Because of the importance Lissa and John had in my life, it was important to spend more time with them while I had the chance. To that end, I arranged to stay the final night with Carolyn. https://www.talestrailsandtransformations.com/carolyns-house-of-wonders/
Day IV – Lissa and John
I returned to John and Lissa as I was making my way back to Bemidji for my return flight back home. I was able to spend time in their wonderful home and explore Lissa’s amazing gardens and green houses. Lissa and John’s place is even more dazzling in daytime!
We had a BBQ for lunch, burgers and corn on the cob.
While looking through the photos I have of the home for people who became so important, I’ll do a separate blog about Lissa and John and their delightful home.
The whole weekend was remarkable. I wasn’t there for the music, it was entirely about the people. I wasn’t able to see Gail, or spend as much time with Michael, Joan or Dick, as I would have hoped, but what time I was able to share with the rest, was priceless.
I had planned to return for the 2023 concert, but it was not to be. I’ll be thinking of my friends and hope they enjoy the next concert. This group of people were the inspiration for starting this blog in the first place. They pointed out my extended stay at Isla Mujeres provided a story worth writing about! I have eleven posts about my new friends, the experiences from the island, and how my life was changed the February of 2022.
