Kenosha's Bloomin' Days '08

See the Musicians

Kenosha's Bloomin' Days started just last year and it has sort of become Kenosha's flagship of summer fun. The entire downtown is turned into a music and entertainment zone - booths, fun and educational displays scattered throughout Harbor Park, sidewalk sales, musicians playing on every corner on from noon till night on the main stage.

The People

This year's Bloomin' Days was a bit different though, abbreviated by the rains vendors rushed to pack and musicians pulled plugs and ran equipment to the cover of the main tent. But this is Wisconsin, and fun can always be found in the beer tent, and so it was.

The Radioactive Squirrels

But enough words on to the pictures.

Be Nice to Keith...

See the entire set of pictures by clicking on the one above.

Keith Dosenhagen (sorry if I just mangled his last name) was a customer of mine at the diner. He was one of the morning table of regular (mostly) guys who would gather at number 8 and laugh, joke and poke fun at each others' eccentricities. He was a quiet guy of even temperament who was just plain nice.

Last month, at age 50, Keith died from a cancer that had just spread all over. And yesterday the "Be Nice to Keith" benefit was held at Hawthorne Hollow to help the family raise money to pay off some expenses.

Though the day started nice and blue by evening things were starting to turn to shit. However most of the really bad stuff blew over and didn't put too much of a dent in things. But despite any threatening weather, people came and they stayed and enjoyed the roast pig, three bands and oodles of beer.

This is a collection of pictures taken at the event between 5:30 and 7:00.

My best to the family and great thanks to all the folks who came and made it such a successful blowout.