Salsa Festival
Last weekend our little village hosted the Martin Street Salsa Festival. The local merchants had organised it as a way of boosting local commerce. Why they chose a salsa theme I really don't know; there's nothing particularly Brazilian about our suburb. In fact it's about as white bread, red brick, no-rhythm-can't dance Anglo-Saxon as they come. It's a bit like Mumbai holding a Bagpipe Carnival. Anyway, the weather on the day is not especially Copacobana-esque: overcast, cold and rainy. From the warm comfort of our living room we can hear the salsa band gamely attempting South American sensuality as the rain lashes the windows; the poor bongo-wielders must be freezing. But then, in true Melbourne fashion the rain stops, the skies part and the sun comes out and before we know it we're pushing The Horde down the street in the Mountain Buggy, drawn to the sound of Brazilian rhythms like sailors to the rocks by the Siren's call. Musically-inclined Indigo is tapping her feet in the front, eight-week old Tully beside her, still coming to terms with the fact he's actually out of the womb, with Finn on the skateboard politely enquiring if there will be sausages. (For those who don't know, we have a skateboard arrangement that clicks into the back axle of the pram, so that an older child can drag along behind like a small, hungry caravan.) The festival is actually pretty good, the street's closed off, bandstands and dancefloors set up on the bitumen and every other person seems to have a bottle of wine. There's a lovely sense of community as we bump into almost everyone we know in the area, our children of course highly admired in the setting of their lovely new carriage. After a Chardy or two the band grows weary of Latin rhythms and starts playing Doors covers, with a particularly rambunctious, kinda Ricky-Martinesque version of 'Light My Fire'. Finn gets his sausages, there's face painting and Tony the wine merchant is splashing around the pinot like there's no tomorrow. A great success. There's even talk of another Martin Street Festival next year: I'm pushing for a Zorba theme.
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