Ragtime

You will just have imagine it, no photo, a large barn on the premises of the Florida Pioneer Museum full of folks having paid to be at this first ever Ragtime Festival in this small Florida town. We arranged ourselves on those hard metal chairs, in front of the stage and the backdrop of farm implements and we surreptitiously eyed the strawberry shortcakes and the chocolate cakes on sale on tables back of us.

We had invited some friends from the city and they were late due to torrential rain in the afternoon, and another friend who found us in the parking lot. But finally, we all connected and settled down with our tickets for the raffle. I am cursed with having to count the house, not only for numbers, but also for the diversity of the crowd. Looking around it seemed to me that the great majority of the folks there in the audience were the white "Q-tips", white retirees from the trailer parks and snowbird homes who are interested in ragtime music. I saw no Hispanics and the only African American I saw was our young guest from Vista.

The program was just stellar! The star of the event was a ragtime pianist from New Orleans, backed up with a Florida jazz ensemble. There was a time for a local brass group from various high schools and we all loved that. (especially the little guy who played the tuba) We got lots of information about the birth of jazz from its beginnings in ragtime music. It was a most appreciative crowd! The next day there was a Ragtime parade to a park where ragtime music was played all day.

Why did this amazing event happen in our little town? Two years ago, two couples went to the midwest to attend an old time music event. They had such a wonderful time they began to think that our little town of Dade City Florida could host such an event. So, Virginia and Val began to plan how this could happen.

Virginia is an amazing person, so intelligent she leaves me in the dust! She is so shy and self effacing I could not believe she would put herself forward to head up this wonderful event. But, when she believes in something, she goes forth and does it. And, wow, was this event something fine! Neither she nor Val were ever in front of the mike. Virginia was not dressed up in costume, but I saw her going around to make sure everything was going according to schedule. As the music was happening I could see her feet tapping.

We loved the evening, the event, and our Florida friends who made this happen.

I love the surprises of living here.