Among the aphorisms that have attached themselves to my brain over the years is this one: " Whether cold or hot, there's going to be weather, whether or not." Simplistic doggerel, but oh so true, as we found out once again over the weekend.
Isthmus does a number of promotional and interactive events during the year, such as the Isthmus Jazz Festival on the Terrace and The Big Eat. The ones we do outdoors, such as Jazz Fest and last Saturday's King Street Block Party, presented by the Great Dane Brew Pub, can be problematic. You'd think that scheduling outdoor events in June and August would put the weather odds in our favor, but that doesn't guarantee that Mother Nature won't pull an upset.
Despite the risk, you put in the work and hope for the best. A large number of Isthmus staffers helped prepare for the King Street Block Party, but the one in charge was marketing coordinator Rachel Tatge. Regardless of the event, she's always there for the duration.
Last Saturday, the kids portion of the block party went well; while it was cloudy and a bit chilly in the afternoon, the event was well attended and provided lots of fun for kids and parents. But by evening the weather had turned frigid, and a light rain truncated the program and delayed the music. When the rain stopped and, after consultation with various local weather resources, we were assured there'd be no more rain, the bands Blueheels and VO5 took the stage and rocked the street.
The outdoor crowd was severely diminished, but the surrounding establishments were packed, as folks ducked the elements. (If you detect an allusion to a pun, you're right.) Navigating through such conditions is nerve-racking, but Rachel stayed at the helm and guided the event into port despite the stormy weather.
Conditions weren't quite as bad as depicted on our cover this week (that's Antarctica!), but they were a challenge. We commend Rachel and her fellow workers and interns for their perseverance. As we say around here, "To the Death."
