this area claims to be the largest artist and festival per capita in canada. We are smack in the middle of three small cities that boast a festival every weekend … garlic festival, apple festival, pickle festival, plow pull festival, berry festival, corn festival, green festival, heritage festival and the list goes on. The entire summer is filled with festivals in each city, each weekend. My ista, tota and I went to the garlic festival and apple festival, and mommie came with us to the green festival. Just recently, while tota and ista were away, mommie took me to the heritage festival. This festival was to commemorate the heritage of the county, and featured, historical info, lumberjack shows, pie baking contests, knitting, artworks, music and dancing. In the fine print of the brochure, there was something about ‘kids races’, which I really wanted to do. SO, mommie and I practiced all week, and in the evenings, we showed ista and tota how good I was getting at racing. Mommie and I would bend our knees at the start, recite 1…2…3…go, then we’d race to the ‘red stop sign’ , and the ‘green street sign’…I was so good, I won every time. Mommie was getting so easy to beat, that I had to challenge ista and tota : easy pickings…I beat them ALL!! I felt I was ready for my first official race. I had a good sleep, ate a high-energy breakfast, and got on my running shoes and sunhat. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous, but mommie told me that was a good thing. We watched the lumberjacks chop trees into chairs, looked at all the artists paintings and paid .25 for a bag of popcorn. At 11am, there was a clang.. the kids races were about to begin..I RAN to the station to register for the races. I looked around and everyone was 3 times my age, at least, but I wasn’t scared, I was READY!. Then the organizers were tying legs together, putting them in burlap sacks and handing out spoons….I HADN’T PREPARED FOR THIS….noone told me they were going to be HERITAGE RACES…I only practiced running!! I watched the three legged races, practiced jumping on my own during the sack races (jumping JAY), then decided I’d give the potato race a try. I had to hold a big spoon with a really BIG potato on it at the start line and wait for the 1..2..3..go!! And I RAN! Half way, I dropped my potato and fell to my knees, but mommie came over and helped me put my potato back on, then I RAN again…all the way to the finish line. MY FIRST EVER RACE….and I got a nice RIBBON!! I wanted to do it again, but the races were over and all the kids left to watch tap dancing and eat pumpkin pie. So, mommie and I ran pretend races until it was time to eat. We had a hotdog and juice and watched the performances on the main stage. I held my ribbon tight, and when I saw ista and tota next, I reenacted my race, over and over again for them, so they could see how I had won my purple ribbon. tay toe raceing is fun, and next year, I might try the sack race!