I’m not a festival person. While I love all of the components of a festival – arts, crafts, live music, and good food – there’s something about putting them all together that’s usually a turn-off for me. Maybe it’s the parking, the heat, the milling around – I don’t know. Festivals almost always sound better than they actually are.
However, the Town of Cary’s Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival was an exception. My husband, who practically lives for festivals, wanted to go to Lazy Daze this year. And, considering it’s his birthday week, I couldn’t say no. I am so glad we went. We were able to easily find parking, it wasn’t overwhelmingly crowded, and there were so many fascinating things to experience and amazing crafts to buy.
I enjoyed the street performers, especially the bubble maker. I was also impressed by the craftsmanship and creativity of the vendors. From pottery to jewelry to metalwork, there were about 300 artists and professional craft makers from across the U.S. participating this year. It’s no wonder Lazy Daze, which has been around since the late 70s, has become one of the highest-rated craft festivals in the country.
Attending Lazy Daze gave me the opportunity to practice taking photos at a live event, where I had to work with harsh early afternoon lighting and constant movement among the crowd in the background. By taking lots of images and making editing adjustments, I was able to capture the colorful activity that characterizes this festival.
Walking around, practicing my craft, and taking in the creativity on display was such an inspiration. It sparked an idea that perhaps Flash Mama Photography could be a Lazy Daze exhibitor one day.
