You are here Jazz Fest 2010: Moms & Dads A few years ago, I ran a series of posts about the Jazz Fest when my kids were too young to get out and check out the entertainment. After our son was born, his dad left his mother and me for someone else. So, like always, we had to go to the festival without a parent in tow. For that year, we brought along Lili’s older sister who was attending summer school and was just home from the country. We didn’t see her much during the festival, but we got used to being at the festival without a parent. We felt a little less stressed. When Lili turned 6 and able to start first grade in September, she told her mom that she wanted to make mom proud by doing something to help the festival. Her mom agreed with a silent nod, and Lili set about learning what people in St. Petersburg want to see in a jazz concert, what makes a good setlist, and how to play some of the songs she knew. While she studied and practiced, her mom took notes on how to organize the performances. Before school, she’d make suggestions about other kinds of entertainment and ideas on how to make that more fun, too. We had fun. So did the people in the crowd. This year, Lili’s little sister turned 7 and wanted to help too. When I told her I was pretty sure she could handle herself, she just looked at me with those big brown eyes and nodded. She seemed to know that people like her onstage. Like the old days when we were younger, I got to sit down and have a beer while she entertained the crowd. Her performance got one of the biggest laughs of the night from some guy who was just standing near her set. When she finished, he asked her if he could hug her. She said sure. She was smiling as he picked her up and gave her a hug. The crowd was eating it up. I looked around at a few of the other musicians and smiled. I was sitting behind the drum kit so I don’t know if the others were paying attention to what my wife and daughters were up to or if they just heard someone say “I’ll take that!” but it seemed like everybody who was playing had parents sitting in the crowd with them. And I know every one of them was listening, too. Sometimes I just sit back and listen when they’re playing, but the energy was pretty strong when they had a chance to do it again tonight. While my daughters were taking care of business, my wife and I went off on another adventure. We’ve both been around here for a while so it’s not that big of a deal to say, “We’re just going to go off and watch somebody play.” That’s not the case with my brother and his wife. For some reason, they want to stay as far away as possible from all the craziness when they bring their two young kids to the festival. So, when we heard that Charlie was playing a concert tonight, we left the kids at home and wandered down near the stage. I went up and got us some drinks while my wife and brother-in-law were busy having a grand old time looking around. When we were together earlier that day, my wife said she’d see me later. She knew it was in her best interest to let me and the little people go to the show while she wandered around alone with her brother. I was bummed that we didn’t have that much time together before we had to head back home but I told her I’d still be looking out for her kids. It was weird to see them sitting in a chair with some guy I didn’t know wearing his dad hat while watching the festival, but my wife and I figured out a great way to play it safe and didn’t do anything to draw attention to ourselves or our kids. The concert had already started before we got to the area where the big crowds were, so we went into the park to get someplace that was a little quieter and watched Charlie for a while. It was a nice little set that included a few things he played during the tour with Billy Higgins. When it was done, we went back to the main area and settled in on the lawn in front of the big stage. Charlie started to play some of his things that he didn’t do that night but we were still looking at each other. I turned to my brother-in-law and said, “You’re right. The kids would just want to stay here while we go.” There’s only one solution to that problem. We had to get her. Share this: Like this: Related Theresa Hogue has been in and around her home town of St. Petersburg, FL since her birth in 1972 and her return in 1991. An autodidact, and a “Jack of all trades” she has always used any opportunity to learn something new, to explore an interest, and to try out an idea. Over the years this has included, but is not limited to, a love of nature, community activism, environmental advocacy, politics, and business ownership. In the spring of 2014 she developed a love for writing, and discovered a talent for it when she began authoring articles on her home town website St Pete Insight. Theresa was drawn to this medium as it allowed her to communicate in the simplest and most direct way possible. She has found, that not only do readers get her point and enjoy her writing, but she enjoys writing too. Thresa can also be heard as a guest on Radio St Pete and WXEL, the NPR affiliate for St Pete, Florida, with her weekly segment “On The Town”. She is also a social media enthusiast, who loves to answer her readers and fans on the many social media sites available. Thresa lives with her son, two cats and dog. She would love to hear from you, so please send her a message at theresashogue@gmail.com One Response to Jazz Fest 2010: Moms & Dads Moms & dads are the best!!!! I’m so proud of you daughters and your mom for helping them. Liked the video you posted on Lili playing her guitar. I’m sure she loved you doing it. That’s the best for me too. Thats why I like the site – helping people achieve their dreams. 🙂