Outdoor Summer Fun

What's your favorite form of summer fun?

I love the look and feel of an outdoor carnival! This picture is from much earlier in the spring/summer season when I pulled into the parking lot of Freehold Raceway Mall and this carnival was taking place in the parking lot. It always brings me a feeling of joy to see the lights and rides going...especially when the sun begins to set and day turns into night with the festivities still going strong.

But I am not really a fair girl. As much as I love the look of it, my practicality takes over. I mean, why spend money on a 'portable' carnival or fair when Jenkinson's has rides on their boardwalks all summer long, and Six Flags does, too?

Some fairs and carnivals raise money for worthy causes, so that would be a reason, but, otherwise, I'd rather go on the more permanent rides than ones that are traveling along the highway on a truck from location to location with more of a chance at human error during setup! I know, I know, I can suck the fun out of any idea with my nonstop worrying! And the costs of ride tickets and food....ugh!

I do enjoy festivals that are about food, though, like the Seafood festivals in Belmar and Point Beach....when you can get a whole lobster for a quarter of what you'd pay at a restaurant, I am there!