Hoes Down Festival Fun!
Our Hoes Down has come and gone — but it left some magical memories. Adventures and fun filled the day. One of the most memorable moments will go down in the history books. It occurred when the heavens opened up with a downpour that sent a few folks running for cover while the farmers jumped for joy. Our sound man ripped out the electrical connections and moved his crew on-stage to clear off his equipment and get it out of the rain. The band on stage was The Dixie Giants. When they lost their sound system, they gazed at the heavens and took a deep breath. Stepping off the stage, they were engulfed by the crowd where they continued their Dixie magic, leading the crowd on a short meander. Finding a tent that they could fit under, they continued to play their amazing music to a crowd of ecstatic, hollering fans. Within 5 minutes, the rain had stopped and with a diminished sound system the next band was soon able to play, but not before the Dixie Giants finished their set with inspiring acoustic music that set the crowd afire. Lightning had been lighting up the sky for some time, and it continued for hours. In the campsite no one took their eyes off it and everyone lined up in their lawn chairs to enjoy the beautiful light show, something that few native Californians have ever seen before in their home state.
— Judith Redmond
Circus Bella photo: Janine Gillham
Dunk tank photo: Gerry DeOliveira
Bobbing for apples photo: Trav Williams, Broken Banjo Photography
