2024 Muskegon, Michigan: Part One... Authors, Books, and a Chicken!

​Do you remember the lyrics from the George Michael song, “Freedom”…
“I think I’m gonna get me some happy!”

Well, I got some happy and a whole lot more at the Lakeshore Art Festival in Muskegon, Michigan this past weekend.  If you’ve never been to this amazing event, I highly recommend you watch the Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/LakeshoreArtFestival
​AND set aside the weekend on next year’s calendar.

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This phenomenal event shines sunlight on about three hundred artisans from almost every art discipline known to humanity.  No kidding, I don’t think there was one artistic endeavor that wasn’t represented in this spectacular force of community.  From lawn sprinklers with spinning elements and shining colors, to paintings and pencil drawings that looked like photographs, to clothing, jewelry, and so much more… I was comforted with a new reminder every ten feet of the remarkable talent human hands hold.  Food trucks shared their digestible art, and a DJ added joyful sounds to the day.  I walked through the streets looking at the smorgasbord of nearly every kind of art imaginable as people ate, sang, danced, and marveled at the wonderment of life.  In that environment, I challenge anyone to feel anything but happy!

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I drove three hours to escape my regular routine (which is generally happy, most of the time) to find excessive amounts of happy in the places where I always find it… inside books and authors.  It was well worth the drive, the hotel, and the ten miles I added to my sneakers.  On the drive out Saturday afternoon, I listened to an audiobook written by an author who is new-to-me, contemplated the last several months of my life, the next several on the horizon, and while relaxing with another book near Lake Michigan and watching the sunset that night, found a gentle peace knowing I could disconnect from the monster of stress by reconnecting with the gentleness of friends, words, and water over the next couple of days.

​More than twenty authors pitched tents along the street bordering the park, mimicking white sails dotting the lake’s horizon.  Under each lived many incredible stories, real and make believe.  I reunited with dear friends, members of my “tribe” who imprinted on my heart and soul years ago… and I made many new friends, who I’m sure will become special to me, as well.  The day was a delightful montage of listening and learning about each author’s imagination, their personal story, and so much laughter… it felt a little surreal.  After all, could this much happy gathered together all in one place, be an actual reality?  I’m here to tell you that truly, it is… and it’s probably more real than your eight hours of daily cubical time.   As I spent the day talking with the authors and discovered the stories their imaginations created, time slowed.  Nine o’clock in the morning to five o’clock in the afternoon felt almost like a week of pure play.  I learned amazing things about the people behind the pens and keyboards, too.  Their personal stories merit as much attention as the ones their imaginary friends force them to report. 

​The skies began in the morning with puffy clouds and a warm breeze floating in from Lake Michigan, turning to perfect blue in the afternoon, as if someone had painted it just for this day.  As the day progressed, the wind became gusty, forcing authors to grab hold of canopy stanchions and pull tight their anchor lines.  Though rambunctious, the wind never turned angry, and the warm sun refused to retreat.  One author in slicker-yellow, tickled my memory of days on sailboats and laughter… and writing poetry on the bow.

Our Michigan writing community is overwhelming sometimes, but in a good way.  How can so many people be so nice, so creative, and so accepting of the unique approach each takes to their craft?  It’s remarkable!  These people are colleagues, not competitors, even as they sold books… there was not one pushy pitch or resentful, jealous encounter in the mix.  They were far more interested in simply meeting new people and sharing with them a world of possibility.  Authors welcomed visitors with warm smiles, gentle laughter, and so much kindness, you’d never know it was an election year.

As I spent time petting a very silky-soft chicken (yes, her name is Kay-Kay, and she is the star of a book!)  ​It was difficult for me to make decisions about which books would make the trek back home to fill my shelves.  Exercising some modicum of restraint and feigned fiscal responsibility, while pretending to be an adult… I didn’t buy all I wanted, but I’m thrilled to report that at the end of the day, I stuffed a tote full to overflowing with stories I’ve never read, personally inscribed by each author! 

​​If spending a day talking with authors, petting a chicken, and buying books is not the definition of happy… somebody needs a new dictionary.