Together on Tuesday: Annual Tradition

I've always had to share my birthday with a huge event that happens close to where I live. 

My birthday isn't always on the same day as this event, but it's almost always during the weekend that I'd celebrate my birthday. 

Makes it hard to plan a party that people will actually COME to.

It's May here in my hometown.  Well, I suppose it's May EVERYWHERE.  But May is special where I live. 

It's the month of the Indy 500.

My birthday is ALWAYS, without a doubt, just days away from this race.  And it's also ALWAYS, without a doubt, right around Memorial Day weekend. 

Do you know how many people attend the Indy 500?  Yeah...like a jillion.  And probably 15 or so of those people are my friends.  Do you know how many people take Memorial Day weekend to go out of town and celebrate the impending summer by visiting lakes, pools, and amusement parks?  Yep...another jillion.  And probably 15 of those are my friends.  And since I only have 30 friends, that would make for a pretty boring birthday party. :)

And how many of you would be surprised to learn that this post is NOT about the Indy 500 OR Memorial Day weekend OR my birthday?

None?  Yeah...I didn't think so.

Today I'm linking up with Michelle at After 9 and Some Weekends, Charlotte at The Dog Days of Life, Nancy at Purple Peaches and Sarah at Just Living (YAY!!  Another new face!!) and we're talking about local events that have become part of our lives.  (Tish is having some technical difficulties and will be joining us soon.  Hang in there!)

Here is the topic in all of it's formality: 

"What local annual event in your current (or childhood) area has become engrained as part of who you are? What makes this event so special? What traditions do your family and/or friends have? What memories does the event bring back when you celebrate or attend each year? Have you ever had to miss the event and if so, how did that make you feel? If you have moved away, how far would you travel to come back each year? Is it important to you to pass this event onto your children and/or new comers to the area, or do you prefer to let them find or create their own traditions?"

This was a hard one for me.  I've done some soul searching though, and I've come up with some things.  (I guess not really soul searching.  More like memory searching which coincidentally is much more difficult than soul searching these days.)

When I was young, we went to the annual Circle of Lights in downtown Indy.  I hope to eventually carry on this tradition, but Jayna was just a bit too young in the past years.  Maybe this year or hopefully next we'll be able to take her and she'll withstand the cold and the crowd.

Anyhoo...many of the things that we do annually aren't events in our area.  We have created our own traditions and things.  We have an annual family zoo trip with my family.  We have an annual Indiana Beach trip with Chris' parents.  We try and have either Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve at our house every year.  If we have Christmas Eve, we make gingerbread houses.  We go to the pumpkin patch every year.  We have begun an annual trip to the Children's Museum before Christmas.  We do a lot of things yearly, but they are unfortunately not local events.

Last year's carousel ride at the Annual Indy Zoo trip.

(Look how little the kids look!!!  And that was only a year ago!!)

Annual Christmas Eve gingerbread houses in 2010.

Annual Children's Museum trip to "ride the yule slide."

This was 2011 with the Vidals.  Layla and Jayna have a great time together!

Jayna and Pappaw in 2010 at the Annual Indiana Beach trip.  Chris' parents have a house on a lake near Indiana  Beach, so it's an easy and fairly cheap trip, but Jayna has the time of her life!

Annual pumpkin patch trip from 2009.  Look how teeny Jaynie is!!

There is one local event that we have attended for 2 years now and plan on attending every year.  Our local Irish Fest is the most awesome festival there is.  There are many, many musical acts.  There are Irish dog demonstrations.  There are tons of bagpipe players.  There are demonstrations on how to stamp leather.  There are many Irish dancers.  There is more Irish food than you could ever eat in 3 days.  And, of course, there's Irish beer. :) 

And no...we aren't Irish.  I just thought I'd answer that burning question right away.

I LOVE it.  Jayna LOVES it.  And...well, Chris loves it too.  Jayna's favorite part is this:

These gals (AND GUYS!) can seriously and quite literally dance a jig!!  Fantastic!

Last year we even bought her a jingle skirt (that isn't at ALL Irish) so she could dance along with the Irish step dancers. 

Jayna dancing in her jingle skirt.

I don't have a favorite part.  I love it all.  The dancing, the kilts, the food, the heritage, the beer.  I love the vendors who sell their handmade goods and even the ones who rope me into buying a jingle skirt that is more Indian than it is Irish.  We plan on making this an annual event for many years to come.

I don't plan on moving, so I'm not sure I'd travel for this.  It is important to me to help teach Jayna about other cultures.  This festival is rich in Irish culture.  It's a learning experience as much as a fun time.  And I tell EVERYONE I KNOW about Irish Fest!!  Why wouldn't they want to know?!? :)

I'm already looking forward to it again this year.  September can't get here soon enough.  I even prepurchase our tickets.  I'm THAT into this thing.

So...what do YOU do in your community that has become tradition?  Have you made your own traditions?  What are they?  I'd love to hear them!!

Now go and use those links in the beginning of this post and read what Michelle, Charlotte, Nancy and Sarah have to say!!  And see you all next Tuesday!