Hoop Dreams

Memorial Day weekend we went to an annual bluegrass festival outside Cumberland. It's held at a beautiful venue with the Potomac River running alongside the fairgrounds against the backdrop of tall cliffs on the opposite banks.


Delfest is bluegrass, newgrass, and just barely grass with a variety of folks getting their toes tapping, their hips bopping and everyone having a good time.


This young guy is starting his pickin' early. He was REALLY good too.


It rained heavily the day before but not like last year's 'perfect storm'! This cute little girl cooled her tootsies off in the cool mud.


Bunches of people made their way to the river to cool off too.


This is a multi day event and hundreds of folks crowd into the campgrounds.


Since it was so hot, umbrellas were everywhere.




But what I found most fascinating were the hoops. Last year I saw 3 hula hoops at the fest and this year there must have been 300. All ages and sizes were hooping. There was even a vendor selling hoops. These are not your gramma's hoops though. The 21st century hoops are heavier and bigger and some even light up.


Hoopin' family


and this woman was amazing. I sat mesmerized watching her hoop-dance to the music. There is a gentle choreography to this hooping and I was smitten. With hours of practice one can walk, dance, hoop with your head, shoulders, elbows, knees and ankles. They make it look so easy, but whoo boy, it is not.


Kim and I hooped for hours and got much better than when we began.


But poor girl, she got hooped out.


As the sun set and darkness fell, the pro hoopers got out their LED enhanced hoops and gave us a light show.


I looked on line and these can be very pricey, from $80 to $250, custom made with your choice of colors, size, and light frequency.


After being inspired last year, I made a few hoops out of irrigation tubing, a connector and colored electrical tape. Upon returning home, we got them out again and hooped into the night.


I was so into hooping madness that I didn't realize how sore I'd be the next day. I was bruised and battered behind my legs....


...behind my elbows....


and on my forearms. Little did I know that hooping was a contact sport! But I'm determined to get this thing down. Hopefully my arms and legs can stand it.