Southside Social 2012

Well...we did it!  Another amazing Southside Social and Barn Dance.  The term "family reunion" kept coming up and I think it really captures the spirit of the Social.  For many of us, the Southside Social is the place and time that we get to connect with folks that we may not be able to visit with any other time of the year.  Like a typical family reunion, we've got all types of characters but we surely wouldn't trade this family for another.  John Stuart Mill said "Eccentricity has always abounded when and where strength of character has abounded; and the amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage which it contained."

 But maybe the poet Edith Sitwell put it better: "I am not eccentric. It's just that I am more alive than most people. I am an unpopular electric eel set in a pond of goldfish.” 

Either way, there are all manner of freak flags flying at the Social.

Friday highlights: 

-Great response to the square dance!  Participants had a grand ole time and the band was terrific!

-Celeste and Roger's amazing two story bus

-T-shirt art was a hit!

-Fiddler John opened the evening with some great tunes

-In a bold move, Anarchists' Union went on strike in solidarity with all of bands who didn't make the cut... and refused to play their set.  They did however, hang their banner as a backdrop behind every single act throughout the weekend as a direct action move.

-Hot Tamales!

-Daddy Treetops played a great set--and apparently knows every single person in the world.  He's in the ether, man.

-Jesus Chords, the all female country band, played great.  

-I don't know why the Sanctimonious Kid and friend didn't play longer...we could have listened to their mix for hours! 

Saturday highlights:

-So many new friends!

-Seedeater....cover of Billy Jean was pretty darn awesome.

-Brent Offerings-the return of Brent Haines, a local upriver favorite.

-Meanstreet Meanie played great set, and so did the Barley Bandits...Everett has good musicians and smokin' hot redheads!

-Junkyard Amy Lee keeps getting better every year!

-Hot Damn Scandal...new to the Social but a total crowd pleaser. 

-It was super great to see WTC, it had been a while and we all missed them!

-Red Heart Alarm was also new to the Social and we loved them!  

-I am clearly biased, but I think the dance party was the most fun I've had in ages.  The spontaneous act of putting the dance platform out was a stroke of brilliance and some of those awesome dance moves will be etched into my brain forever.

-Swimming at the creek...Northern Lights....naked campfire party...what a great way to end the Social!

Here are some photos...I am going to post a link to this on Facebook. If anyone else has photos to share, send me the link and I'll post it here as well.  

I'm having trouble uploading the square dance video but will try again soon...

More Southside Social Details

Here are a few additional details for first timers:

-This is a private party, not a public event.  We consider the folks who attend the Social to be guests in our home, so please be respectful.  Because this is a private party, we are not required to allow entrance to everyone nor are we required to allow service animals. 

-When you arrive, please pull down the drive where you'll be greeted by the gate staff. They will give you a brief orientation and direct you toward your parking and camping area.  They will also check identification and stamp your wrist-this is to help us eliminate underage drinking.  If you have a dog you'll be asked to drop it back at home or at a kennel before coming to the Social.  The gate crew are generally very welcoming and should be able to get you get settled in.

-Parking is SUPER TIGHT.  You should assume that you will not be able to park next to your tent. You may camp in your vehicle, but we just don't have enough room to put tents or camp areas next to cars.  We have lots of tent camping areas and are excited to have even more nice wooded spots available this year.

-Once you're in, you're in for the duration of the event so please plan to bring everything you need with you.  We do have some of our vehicles ready in case of emergency, but parking wise it doesn't really work for folks to come in and out of the overnight parking area.  We do have a day parking area for folks who need to leave. Please do not park on the highway.

-We offer some refreshments for sale at our coffee stand including espresso drinks, hot coffee, baked goods, and more.  We plan to offer a heartier option for dinners on Friday and Saturday. We also have a potluck kitchen if you'd like to participate. We do not sell alcohol. 

-We subscribe to the "Pack it in, pack it out" ideology.

-Plan to bring your own drinking water. 

-Please help keep the Social family friendly during the daylight hours.  We want kids to attend and have fun too! 

-It's best for us if everyone can help make the Social a success.  Some of the easy ways to contribute are by making a donation, buying a cup of coffee or a t-shirt, picking up trash, being cheerful and responsible.  If you see a need, step in and help if you're able.  We love when everyone works together and smooths out the rough spots.  Since we consider this a family reunion of sorts, we prefer not to act as security or police.  If there's real trouble or conflict, fetch us by all means...but if you see an underage drinker or a guest who's forgotten that it's family time during the day...please feel free to intervene and remind guests of our standard.