While summer officially begins on Sunday the 21st, we got to celebrate its advent yesterday at the 39th annual Black Rock Day. It was this kind of a day weather-wise and doesn't get much better!
This photo is from the small stretch of beach at the end of our street that overlooks Black Rock Harbor and across to Seaside Park — designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. A little background about this area: Black Rock emerged as a colonial seaport in the mid-1600s, nearly 200 years before Bridgeport came to be in the 1830s. As Bridgeport grew to be the largest city in Connecticut, Black Rock was absorbed into its city limits in the 1870s.
The Black Rock Parade began in 1976 as part of the bicentennial celebrations and has been held ever since, each year in June. This year's festivities kicked off with a community-fundraiser 5K race, and then a "bed" race, with home-made "bed" go-carts being pushed furiously down a 250-yard stretch of Brewster Street, right by the 1644 Thomas Wheeler House.
Soon after, a fun-filled parade rolled right by our house, with a colorful mix of bands, local groups and schools that celebrate our wonderfully diverse community.
Black Rock really shined on this beautiful prelude to summer. We thoroughly enjoyed spending a lovely (but hot!) day with our friends and neighbors.
Thanks to everyone who made it such a spectacularly good time. Especially the Black Rock Community Council and one of our favorite local restaurants, the Walrus + Carpenter.
Their fried chicken and mashed potatoes are to die for! Not to worry, there is no walrus on the menu ;) The name was taken from Lewis Carroll's poem that appeared in his book Through the Looking-Glass.
I hope you and your family and friends have a very enjoyable summer ahead! A special congratulations to all the graduates, including our niece Katie! May the future be bright and full of possibilities.
xo,
Kate
