With the first week of Dogwood nearly over, I feel like I should take a few moments to reflect on all I’ve seen and heard (tasted comes later) over the last several days.

It has been awesome.

Reflection done.

Alright, so I guess I should elaborate a little a bit.

I have had a chance to cover most of the events held during the festival so far, and I have to say, I’ve been impressed by all the artists that have been featured in the year. I thought heading in that there was an impressive lineup for the year, and so far, I’ve yet to be disappointed.

I guess I’ll start at the top, with Friday’s author talk. Elizabeth Strout proved that she could speak as well as she can write, as her speech was as tumultuous as any great story. She was funny, insightful and thoughtful. I’m not the only person who came away with that impression, as I’ve spoken to people who were also delighted by what she had to say.

I stopped by the Klassics for Kids concert on Saturday afternoon as well. While I think I’m a bit older than its intended audience, I thought the Lake Effect Winds Quintet did a great job in getting the children who attended more engaged with classical music. It looked like the parents enjoyed the show as well.

I also had a chance to watch Dancing Wheels perform that evening. While I couldn’t stick around for the whole show, the first portion of the show was more moving than I could have imagined. While I knew they are hardly your typical dance troupe, their messages of acceptance and overcoming adversity was beautifully woven into the physical portion of their routine.

Finally, I had a chance to attend Kim Weitkamp’s storytelling workshop, and let me tell you: there is no false advertising when it comes to her credentials as taller of tales. The people in the class were definitely amused by her stories, myself included. She was also very friendly, which, considering her travel schedule, is a super impressive achievement.

 

Ted Yoakum is the community editor for the Dowagiac Daily News. Email him at ted.yoakum@leaderpub.com.