At the end of the Spring beginning of Summer time frame, there was some kind of artsy craftsy thang going on in the main drag of our little community. A street festival, if you will. Only thing is they didn’t actually close the streets, they just cluttered up the sidewalks.

I concluded, these folks know dick about a proper street fair.

I continued to miss the huge multi-city block affairs clogging up Mass. Ave. in Cambridge, Mass. There you got all of the arts and crafts you could possible want, ethnic food, normal food (you know, like non-ethnic), bands, frivolity and awesome people watching.

Last night, though, as M. and I walked to and back from dinner, we knew something was a foot. All sorts of tent action being hammered up, including a monstrosity the width of the street.

We walked further down the street and came across a rocking bit of festivity a day early for the apparently due street fair, but right on time for the release of some book or another about a certain wizard boy.

I have some crappy pics of all the wizarding crossing into the Muggle world for the night, here: http://dee-rob.com/zenphoto/iPhone.

Unfortunately, they mostly prove that the iPhone, like every other crappy cell phone takes shitty night photos. But, there were throngs and costumes and vendors and bands and jugglers and more people than I have ever seen out past the street lights coming on in our sleepy little burg.

A couple of random thoughts on the Harry Potter party. One, I was surprised at the number of teenagers in costume, as I would have thought that dressing like a Hogwarts character excruciatingly uncool. Two, nonetheless and regardless of the nerdiness, a certain subset of teenage girls will let the English school girl look bring out their inner reserve of major sluttiness. Nothing like a short skirt and a tie to telegraph underage porno.

Finally, I wonder if I were a parent, whether I would have brought my children along for the midnight madness or just handed them a bucketful of sedatives and let them sleep through it. If I were to indulge the brood and enjoy the party, I wonder if I would mortify them and dress up like a character from the book. I hope not for their imaginary selves’ sake.

Already today, though, I have gotten a frozen lemonade and a whole slew of free junk from fair booths, like Naked and Burt’s Bees. Soon, we’re going back for some street vendor dinner.

Oh, and one thing they gots in California street fairs that they ain’t got in Cambridge. Booze in the street. Margaritas, beer and wine served in festive glassware for a couple bucks more.