When I pulled into the gym parking lot this morning, I thought maybe someone had spiked my coffee! But then I realized the City of Chandler is setting up for its annual Ostrich Festival. Way back when, probably in 2002, they used to have the festival in downtown Chandler and we just happened to be staying at the San Marcos Resort that weekend and could walk right out into all the festivities. For free! There was a huge arts and crafts fair, carnival rides, ostrich races, ostrich tacos to eat, funnel cakes -- you get the picture. Now the city has the event at Tumbleweed Park and charges a rather heavy entrance fee. $9 per adult and an extra fee for parking. So for the two of us, we'd spend in the $25 range just getting in the gate! I think we'll sit it out this year!
The ostriches are the reason for the festival! I'm not sure if there's a historical reason why they're the honored guests, but the city sponsors ostrich races, lets little kids pose with an ostrich to have their pictures taken (for a fee), serves ostrich meat in various dishes, etc.... I'm sorry Big Bird, but ostriches are rather nasty birds. Definitely not like show dogs or show horses! They're kind of dirty, they spit, and they're not friendly. What's not to love?
I thought the ferris wheel and colorful rides looked so pretty against the blue Arizona sky!
And I couldn't resist freaking some fotos!
