The Jazz Festival

I meant to post our pictures from the Jazz Festival but I forgot about them. We've been going to the Atlanta Jazz Festival since we moved to Atlanta. It is the largest free jazz festival in the world. We've heard some pretty big acts there--Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Cassandra Wilson--and we always have a lot of fun.

This year, the festival was held in Woodruff Park, which is much smaller than its usual location in Piedmont Park, because drought conditions have rendered Piedmont Park too vulnerable to sustain it. The acts were primarily local, the crowd much smaller, and the sound not so good. Still, we went down there because the Jazz Festival has become a Memorial Day ritual for us. It's the official beginning of summer.

This is Allison, falling out of her chair. What else would she be doing?



And here's Frances standing on her chair. Because what else would she be doing?



People watching is a huge part of the appeal of the Jazz Festival. Allison actually took this picture. This little girl was dancing with Allison and Frances. Allison does a gimpy bop but Francie--when she feels like dancing, she spins.





Being in Woodruff Park, which is in the middle of Five Points--the center of Atlanta--gave me the opportunity to take a few pictures of the downtown area.


Boarded up windows as a result of tornado damage.


And, of course, it wouldn't be Atlanta without Coca-Cola.