Oregon Country Fair

I remember hearing about the Oregon Country Fair many years ago, before I had ever even been to Oregon, and hoping that one day I would get to go there.
We moved to Oregon in 2007, while I was pregnant with Finn, and I didn't make it to the fair that year. I didn't make it the next 2 years either... we always seemed to have another obligation the same weekend that fair was. Finally, in 2010, when I was newly pregnant with Phoebe (and oh-so-very pregnancy sick), I decided it was time. Todd wouldn't come with me, so me, Finn (and Phoebe in my belly) headed to fair for the weekend. We camped with some friends, so I wasn't completely alone, but I was tired, nauseous, and dealing with a 3 year old. It wasn't the most relaxing weekend, and I didn't feel like I got to enjoy it for what it was.
So finally, this past Friday, 4 years after I went the first time, I had a chance to go back to the fair. Just for a day, but I was with a friend, and we were both child-less, so it was pretty amazing. We browsed, we wandered, we stared. By 4 p.m. my eyes burned like I had been watching movies all day. Visual overload!http://www.opb.org/
If you have never been to the fair, it is wonderful. The grounds are a lovely wooded spot near a river, with decorations and costumes everywhere you turn. There are stages with music in every nook and cranny, crazy parades, gorgeous handmades, and so much to take in.  I feel like my photos don't really do it justice. It's pretty hard to take a photo as I want to capture everything, not just what fits into my camera frame.
I know that once my kids are older, they will enjoy dressing up and running around the grounds. But, for now, I think it would have been a long and tiring day for them.. and it was nice to only have to watch out for myself for a change...