This week, Ann-Christine asks to share images of markets and fairs we’ve enjoyed over the years. She writes, “Here are some of my summer memories from such events. Enjoy the season and the smiles, and then – I’d love to see some of your memories too! They can be from any fair, Farmers’ market, Christmas market, or maybe a carnival? From your own country or from abroad – feel free to choose whatever you have in store!” You can read her entire challenge post here.

In 2018, we traveled to Bismarck for an aviation-related meeting. Lynn and I decided to make a weekend of it when we learned there was an annual street fair that weekend. At Buckstop Junction, I stumbled upon this harvest display, which I can now feature on my social media posts with an autumn-themed photo.

In 2014, we went to the Arizona Renaissance Festival in Gold Canyon, Arizona. Over the years, we’ve revisited this fair and others. My favorite event is the Jousting Tournament, which is usually offered.

From our viewpoint in the stands at the tournament, I used my zoom lens at 220 mm to capture this portrait of one of the announcers of the event.

Somehow, I was reminded of the old monk who took me aside as I entered the Renaissance Festival. He told me, “Enjoy the cleavage. I’ll hear your confession tomorrow at mass.”

In downtown Las Vegas, a permanent attraction vies for attention, hoping to draw tourists from the Las Vegas Strip to the downtown casinos. The video canopy over Fremont Street in Las Vegas is called Viva Vision, and is the largest single video screen in the world. Underneath the screen, two ziplines attract adventurous tourists. The zipline is a 3-block seated ride about 7 stories above the street. The Zoomline is longer at 5 blocks, and higher at about 11 stories above the street. Guests ride in Superhero-style (belly down, head first).

After sunset, the Pier Six Pavilion is transformed into a festival of sound. Located along Baltimore’s Inner Harbor area, we viewed the tented peaks from across the Patapsco River. Visitors seated along the walkway enjoy the sound of music for free, but to see the performers, they must pay the admission fee for a seat inside the tented area.

The Mass Ascension at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the event’s most iconic spectacle, featuring the coordinated launch of hundreds of colorful hot air balloons into the early morning sky. Held annually in October at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the display begins around 7:00 a.m., led by a balloon carrying the American flag to the sound of the national anthem. The nine-day festival starts on October 4 this year.

I’d already put this post to bed when I saw Ritva’s post featuring marketplace photos. It was then that I realized I had missed part of Ann-Christine’s challenge, the Market part. A large former warehouse in Mazatlán, Mexico, was converted to a shared marketplace in 1900.

The Pino Suarez Mazatlán Market, officially known as Mercado José María Pino Suárez, is located in the heart of the city. This year, the mercado celebrates its 125th anniversary.

On a visit to Seattle to launch an Alaska cruise, we had some time to visit the legendary fishmonger at the Pike Place Fish Market. The world-famous seafood stall in Seattle’s Pike Place Market is known for its theatrical fish tossing.

Thanks to Ann-Christine for reminding me of the many street fairs and festivals Lynn and I attended, especially since we retired. This gallery is a small sample of my most memorable festivals. Thanks to Ritva for reminding me of the other half of this challenge, the market. For those who like to pixel-peep or check out image metadata, you can find my Flickr gallery here.

Last week, I really enjoyed hosting the compositional challenge featuring lines, colors, and patterns. The wide variety of responses was delightful and informative. Next week, Sofia hosts another of our new “Looking Back” series of challenges. Be sure to follow Sofia here so you don’t miss her challenge, which goes live on Saturday at Noon Eastern Time. You can find out more about Lens-Artists challenges here.

John Steiner