As if my family needs another excuse to go to the Railroad Park.

The summer concert series is in full swing here in McCormick Ranch.  Held every Sunday (7:30-9PM) between the dates of May 11^th and July 13^th, this past week's band was a local favorite.  Rock Lobster indeed rocked covers of ‘80s standards by The Cars, Prince, Rick Springfield, etc.  Knowing better than to try to find parking in the lot, we found a spot one street over from the park.  Pulling Jack and Wyatt in their little red wagon, we were excited for Wyatt to attend his first concert.   Keeping Jack in the wagon turned out to be a bit of a chore.  The boy is a live wire with unbridled love for the choo-choo park.  That is not a combination that adds up to "stationary." 



 

 

When we made our way to the back of the park where the bands perform, I wasn't surprised, but dutifully impressed, with the sheer number of people in attendance.  I am not very good with estimating crowd numbers, but I would guess that there were about 17 million.  Or a few thousand.  One or the other.  Kids running wild through the grassy seating area, overmatched parents vainly scurrying after their charges.  I used to chuckle at the spectacle.  Now I'm part of it.

Before finding our space, we loaded up on treats: ice cream for the boys, hot dogs for us.  If my own mother is reading this post, I want her to know that Jack thoroughly savored his BUBBLEGUM ICE CREAM.  Not that I harbor any lingering resentment from being repeatedly denied said creamy goodness as a child.  Not sure why bubblegum ice cream was off limits, but I'm pretty sure it's because she hated me and wanted to crush the joy from my life. 

And because of the sugar.

Before finding a spot, we blundered into four separate parties that we know.  An old family friend and colleague, a buddy I haven't seen for awhile with his wife and baby boy, a past client whom I sold a house to a few years back just a few blocks away, and the ubiquitous friend of a friend.  Being the first concert in this year's series that we have been able to attend, it was a great reminder of the sense of community that it brings.  A little small town living in a city that hasn't been small town for quite some time.  This is but one example of why people continue to flock to the McCormick Ranch area in Scottsdale, Arizona.  If I were to sum it up and put it on a flyer for potential new residents, I'd simply say "It's a cool place to live."

Though we had to hightail it before the show was over to get our late night warriors to bed, we didn't do so until
the boys boogied, ran, laughed and found ample mischief.  A rousing success in other words. 

If you live in the area, you most likely already know that something is going on at the park on the weekends due to the traffic congestion on Indian Bend, but if not, you really need to check it out.  Next week's performer will be a band by the name of Furious George.  That sounds like one angry monkey.  Current tunes as well as classic rock are on the docket according to the park's event calendar.  Hope to see you there.  We'll be the people trying to coax their toddler off the speakers before he can execute a stage dive ... again.