Ferris Wheels, Cotton Candy, and Memories Galore | by Jacqueline Biollo, MBA, ICD.D
What do summer months, first dates, food trucks, and stuffed animals have in common? The same thing that Ferris wheels and cotton candy might… the making of memories galore at a local fair, stampede, or amusement park.
If these points of reference aren’t familiar to you – allow me to elaborate.
Summer months are much anticipated – as school lets out, dress codes change, and the general malaise of a regular 9-5 work week is replaced with energy en masse to soak up the extra hours of sunlight afforded to us each day.
There’s the anticipation of social gatherings, tackling the growing list of to-dos or bucket list items on the weekend, road trips, gardening, and so much more.
It’s also the time of year when not unlike the phrase ‘the circus is coming to town’ we anticipate exciting, unusual, or nonsensical events happening. A local fair might feature carnival rides, games, and more.
Some boast pancake breakfasts, charity dunk tanks, go-cart races, farmer’s markets, a petting zoo, musical performances, shop local initiatives, 50/50 raffle ticket contests, show and shines, fireworks, and likely a few first kisses or stolen moments and memories to last a lifetime. The list goes on.
Although there are many upsides to summer events, such as conquering your fear of heights as you take a ride on the Ferris wheel whilst you marvel at the beauty of the landscape, there can also be some downsides to summer events, such as one’s mental and physical health or the environmental and physical safety of the equipment used in so many summertime activities.
Summertime can be associated with increased rates of behavioural and substance use disorders, anxiety and stress disorders, or similar.
Summer safety tips include water and road safety, communicating your intentions and whereabouts with others, conducting hazard checks on equipment, knowing and obeying rules and regulations, etc.
The global pandemic left us feeling like the past couple of years were probably longer, harder, more depressing, or lacked opportunities to have fun with friends and families than we’ve otherwise experienced in our lifetime.
So whether you’re planning to enjoy a stay-cation in your very own backyard or travelling this summer for fun – commit yourself to your safety, and the safety of others so we can all enjoy making some memories after these last few challenging years.
Additionally, if you’re looking for some places to go or things to do – check out Travel Alberta, Canada (https://www.travelalberta.com/ca/things-to-do/events-festivals/) – and live for today, and have a happy, safe, and healthy summer.
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Jacqueline Biollo is a cinnamon sugar mini-donut connoisseur. She loves the excitement of small-town carnivals, road trips, and supporting initiatives like Tim Horton’s Camp Day (https://timscamps.com/) – having taken over 60 inner-city kids to the camp through ‘ArtStart’, an inner-city arts program Jacqueline founded in 2005.
Summer also prompts Jacqueline to binge-watch movies like ‘To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995)’ or ‘Dirty Dancing (1987)’. Jacqueline recently took her 1999 VW Beetle, Petunia, to the fair… an enjoyable time was had by all.
Photo by Photography by Sandi
