Crowds & Bratwurst

It turns out that the Fourth Avenue Street Fair in Tucson was invented the same year as the University District Street Fair in Seattle:  1970.

The Fourth Avenue Street Fair began when local merchants put tables in front of their stores to attract customers before the holidays. Now, they say, it's one of the largest in the country and draws crowds of 200,000 to 350,000.

Apparently, Tucson is unknown in Seattle which boasts that its U-District Street Fair is the longest running street festival in the entire country. That Fair began as an event to heal a neighborhood divided by hippies, war protests, and street riots. I used to go there, but missed the tear gas.

We went to the Winter Fourth Avenue Street Fair yesterday. Glorious weather; huge crowd. We'd been once before, but we'd forgotten how big it is.

It's hard to believe there are so many people hanging out at these events. Times change. Most appeared to be in their thirties or older. Given that Tucson's Fourth Avenue is close to the UofA, I expected to see more undergrads. But they seemed to be in small numbers.

Walking four blocks to get there, then meandering through the six-block site, plus side streets, left us wanting to sit down in the shade. We like La Indita, a local Mexican restaurant favorite for almost thirty years.

Trouble is, I have a weakness for hot dogs. There were lots of food vendors at the Fair, and several selling hot dogs and the like. I decided to treat myself.

The first clue should have been that I was already pretty full from my chili relleno. I had ordered a small plate, but it came with beans and I am not one to leave food on my plate.

The second clue was when I walked up to order my hot dog. Prices weren't posted. For good reason.

The third clue was the price for a hot dog. Seven dollars for a Polish or a bratwurst. (What's the difference? Two disparate peoples united by a common butcher.)  I was too stunned to respond intelligently. I paid up.

Of course, the bratwurst didn't settle well. They rarely do on a full stomach. I should leave my hot dog cravings at Costco with its bottomless soda.

Other than food and a Balinese hand fan in an off-site courtyard, we didn't do any shopping. It's all too much to take in. There was one place selling cute doggie caps, but we resisted.