Collard Festival!

I'm taking a break from catching up on past shoots to blog about something recent, the Ayden Collard Festival. You see, it's a festival. Of collards. It has its own mascot, Colleen the Collard Green(!). The Collard Festival truly embodies all the great things about small town America. There's a parade, an art show, a collard eating contest, a collard cooking contest, a pageant, and more. The pageant winner's title is Miss Ayden; although I think "Collard Queen" is infinitely more charming. My friend Douglas Mills always hosts a brunch at his house on the Saturday morning of the parade, and it was a fabulous time. To quote another friend, Douglas is the "hostest with the mostest." This year's brunch topped all others before it, and came complete with its own signature cups and fans.

Oh, did I forget to mention that Douglas buys tons of festive beads for the occasion? Beads that the brunch guests toss/hand to the parade participants? Well, he does. And it's fantastic.

Even the mayor of Ayden got into the festivities and put on some beads as he passed the McGlohon-Mills House.

Thanks so much to our host, Douglas Mills, for making his Festival Brunch fun for everyone, an event we look forward to every year!