By Staff
June 17th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Is the Sound of Music about music or is it about people?
Close to a full moon made it a wonderful summer evening.
Friday evening was about as good a June evening as you are ever going to get.
Spencer Smith Park was packed. And yes some were listening to the music – the space in front of the five stages was jammed with people but there were just as many – perhaps more, milling about.
The Elwin’s were on the TD stage; at one point the singer barked out “There is no place I would rather be than right here in Burlington”. The crowd roared its approval.
Small craft were anchored close to the promenade, it looked as if there was a Coast Guard ship offshore.
The lights of the Skyway Bridge provided a backdrop; the surface of the lake was like glass – not even a ripple.
The Ferris wheel and the carnival part of the grounds seemed a little bigger this year.
There was a pleasant breeze coming in off the lake while goofy boys were trying to not pay attention to the girls who were walking quickly in group’s of at least three from place to place – seldom knowing just where the next place was.
The music was often more loud than good but the audience was eating it up.
Emilie – Claire Barlow on the Cogeco stage in Civic Square
Emilie-Claire Barlow was on the stage at Civic Square where the audience was quieter but very appreciative of the talent on the stage.
The different groups spread out along Brant street had their own followings with Dance schools showing people how to do different steps.
Couples were out for an evening; parents out with their kids – just a nice summer evening where you would bump into friends and chat.
There were a lot of paramedics and police officers – was the crowd ever at any risk?
When it was time to close down for the night the thousands of people walked along at a decent pace to the exits and on up the streets north of Lakeshore Road.
This reporter didn’t see one dis-orderly person.
The evening had gone well.
The best part of SoM is following one’s ears to each streetfest pod.
Too bad I can’t go with hubby into the seated areas so he can have a beer. SoM installs water refill stations but a non-drinker is not permitted to bring a refillable water bottle into the seated area. Must dump your city water and buy their bottled water. Better than a few years ago when the choice given was to dump one’s.water and still had to put the now empty refillable bottle into a filthy cooler. I walked away then just as I did last night. No beer for hubby.