It's a beautiful day and already the Junee Rhythm N Rail Festival is in full swing.
Last night I was invited to the Sponsorship Appreciation Event that preceded the Cocktail Party and Official Opening. I had a nice evening, and it was a bit like one of those parties you see so often on TV where you just pluck a drink off the tray of a passing waitress. There was complimentary cocktails too.
The festival was officially opened by Tim Fischer, former Deputy Prime Minister, former Trade Minister and former National Party leader who also happens to be an avid train enthusiast. I had a photo taken with him but he was too busy talking to pay me much attention: not that I was bothered by that. There were lots of friends there who have helped out in the organisation of the festival and it was nice to catch up with them. I was given a bottle of wine with a Rhythm N Rail festival label in appreciation for my support.
Thursday night Mum and I and a couple of her friends attended the International Women's Day event on the verandah of the Junee Hotel and that was also an excellent night, with lots of wine and cheese, good food and company. A few women speakers got up throughout the night and talked about their life, and the mix was good, from young to old, indigenous and white, and ended with "Eileen", a surprise guest speaker who happens to be a local identity here in Junee, no other than Neil Smith in pink wig and terry dressing gown who told lots of jokes and had everyone in stitches. Though this night wasn't a Rhythm N Rail event, it was a great start to the festival weekend.
Today the trains arrived about 10 and all over town will be buskers and stalls, and musicians in all the hotels throughout the day. At about 1.30 we're going up to the Showground to be part of the Guinness Book of Records attempt for the most number of guitars in one place, and I've put the kids names down to join in too. To break the record there has to be over 1800 guitarists there, so it will be interesting to see how many turn up.
Tonight Mum and I are going along to the Wind in the Roundhouse Concert at the Junee Railway Roundhouse. The Junee Roundhouse is the only surviving, working railway roundhouse in the Southern Hemisphere and the acoustics there are fantastic for concerts. We'll take some wine and nibbles (I'm pretty sure it's B.Y.O.) and our chairs and watch the Murrumbidgee String Orchestra perform on the rail platform. I haven't been before, though this is the 3rd year of the Wind in the Roundhouse concerts. It should be good.
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