On Kiwanis- Kiwanis At The Arts Festival

I am not a world traveler, and never have been, far from it. But I have seen Barcelona, and that makes up for a great many deficiencies.

One of the main charms of Barcelona is the Ramblas, a pedestrian boulevard (technically, a series of boulevards), where every evening it seems that half of Barcelona is out strolling, perusing the stalls and the street performers and each other.

What’s the point of all this, you say. Well, the point is that every year, on the first Saturday in August (Aug. 6 this year), Lakewood turns into a second Barcelona for the Arts Festival. It seems that half of Cuyahoga County is congregated along Detroit Avenue between Belle and Gladys, perusing the stalls and each other. You might see the people you work with every day, and you might bump into people you haven’t seen for a year. You might drop into the stalls set up in the street by artists and artisans, and you might stop at the refreshment stalls on each side of the street.

On the south side of Detroit, between St. Charles and Warren Road, you will find the Kiwanis hot dog stand. There, if past experience is a guide, you might find a city official or a school board member helping to bring in the funds that go to help the city’s community groups. But don’t expect these ladies or gentlemen to hear your complaint about garbage collection or your kid’s teacher, because they will be too busy fashioning paper “boats,” putting buns into the boats, plucking up the hot dogs from the tray, and putting the hot dogs into the buns. Then they will hand you the hot dog with great relish, or with mustard or catsup or cheese or onions, as your taste dictates.

For a slightly higher price, they will give you a chili dog, combining the warm and comfortable taste of the hot dog with the more vigorous taste of the chili, a perfect combination. To round it all off, there will be candy and snacks for sale.

And don’t forget to peruse the art stalls.