The foodies’ fete

The Lee Street fete was on today, the annual fete of the Carlton North Primary School. Affectionately known as the “foodies’ fete” because so many of the restaurant owners around town run stalls on the day, it is such a sweet day out for the local community.
Top Aussie chef George Calombaris (of Masterchef fame) made a popular guest appearance to judge the kids’ cupcake making competition. The children were incredibly excited (and their cupcakes looked very impressive).

George picked out the top 10 cupcakes to taste, before announcing the winners. When the event was over, I laughed to see several of the kids whose cupcakes weren’t tasted sneak back up on stage to retrieve and eat their efforts. In this competition, everyone was a winner!
Mr B and I split our time according to our interests. I revisited the book hall three times (thousands of second-hand books AND new books at half price), while Mr B was in country fair heaven, entering spin-a-wheel competitions, book raffles, lucky lolly-jar dips and silent auctions.
We bought a sweet little yellow cardigan with a matching hat for Baby B, knitted by one of the grandmothers at the school. But baby had to try it on first, which was apparently a rather entertaining process.
We took our burgers (Mr B), vegetarian dumplings (me), home-made lemonade with fresh mint and our lemon cupcakes to the front of the stage to watch the talent quest. The kids were absolutely adorable.
The whole day was like a walk through nostalgia-land, triggering memories for both of us of our own school days. The excitement of being at school on a non-school day. The joy in the children’s faces as they raced each other, pieces of fairy-floss sticking to passers-by, en route to the giant slide.

And we indulged in a little game of “imagine when.” Like, “Imagine when our baby is at this school. What stall will we run?” And, “Imagine when our baby is four, racing ahead of us to the fete knowing that next year, this will be ‘big school’.”

How was your weekend? Will you join me here next year?