Before I tell you how I plan to have the most whimsical summer possible (and, more importantly, how you can too), it’s important we have a shared understanding of the definition of ‘whimsy.’
According to Merriam-Webster:
whimsical (adjective) resulting from or characterized by whim;
whim (noun) a capricious or eccentric and often sudden idea or turn of the mind;
According to Oxford Languages:
whimsical (adjective) playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way;
Within this framework of playfulness, eccentricity and amusement, we can plan a summer exploring the region’s many festivals, activities and landmarks. The horrors persist, and while paying attention to what’s going on around you is critical, so is recharging and nourishing your soul. In order to maximize how well you live, you have to start saying ‘yes’ to things.
- Say yes
Saying yes is just as powerful as saying no. Opening yourself up to opportunity is just as important as setting a boundary and, oftentimes, is even more freeing. My suggestion this summer is to say yes to every invite you can — even if it’s something you’re not super interested in or something you’ve never heard of. Go invest in the enrichment of your soul. Take that second to slow down and celebrate the little moments. After all, festivals are really in celebration of something, aren’t they?
- Branch outside your comfort zone (literally)
Don’t let distance deter you from experiencing something magical. My goal for the summer is to visit three events I’ve never been to: a garlic festival in a small town to celebrate harvest season (Geneva hosts the Glorious Garlic Festival on August 1-2), a peony festival in the countryside (Linwood hosts one every weekend in May) and a festival at someone’s house (the Purple Painted Lady Festival is September 19-20 in Palmyra; self-proclaimed “the largest & kindest arts festival in Western New York”).
The point is to get out there and experience something that isn’t in your backyard, to try living in someone else’s for a minute. Take a route you don’t normally take. Fill up your gas tank and try to get somewhere without using GPS. Let the wind carry you a little bit, and try to not be in a rush and just be.
- Branch outside your comfort zone (figuratively)
Sometimes, to get whimsical you have to get weird. Stop thinking about what other people are thinking about you, and think about yourself for a second. It’s not being selfish, it’s just checking in.
Rochester hosts a prime opportunity for this every fall — this year, the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival happens September 15-26 and will host hundreds of multidisciplinary events from comedy and drag to trapeze and music, encouraging folks to engage with the ostracized, the ‘other,’ even the arcane.
This festival also offers a unique opportunity to explore different parts of the city — it’s headquartered in center city at One Fringe Place (don’t miss the Spiegeltent), but takes place at more than 30 community theaters, bars and other unconventional venues. Participate in a show, dance and support people who are putting themselves on display.
- Build your own soundtrack
In the summer, I live on playlists — one for the beach, one for windows-down car rides, one for cooking with sunlight streaming into the kitchen — I store up the moments that happen during those playlists and keep them for a rainy day.
I also incorporate as much live music into my life as I can. Even if you go to a show alone, there’s an element of genuine togetherness that is hard to replicate anywhere else.
My rec? Borderland Festival, September 18-20 (summer is a mindset, and September counts), is a music and arts festival that focuses on community, sustainability and great sounds in a way that brings people together. Go camp in a field, talk to strangers, sing along and make memories. If you ask me (and I think you are), live music is pure magic.
- Make and create (and support makers and creators)
If you’re looking for something a little more local, Corn Hill Arts Festival, held this year on July 11-12, is an amazing way to explore the Corn Hill neighborhood while going on what I refer to as a ‘structured wander.’ Wandering aimlessly can be a little anxiety-inducing, but when you’re able to park your car and walk around a neighborhood festival buzzing with art, music and openness that can’t be engineered, you’re giving yourself a boundary to explore.
Craft festivals always give a gentle reminder that there are people intentionally slowing down and taking the time to make something with their hands and share it. You can do that, too!
Check out tourism websites, pick up those little brochures at rest stops, and hopefully I’ll see you out there making memories and living with joy.
Flo’s tips for inviting whimsy into your day-to-day:
- Sit on a porch and say hi to people who walk by
- Tell a stranger you love their outfit
- Park farther away from a destination so you can see what else you happen upon in the vicinity
- Make loose plans
- Engage with the community
- Listen to “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield. (And I swear this one is true — I dare you to not be in a lighthearted and open-minded state of being after that.)
Florence Cardella is a Rochester native, bartender and sometimes writer and photographer who searches for community at every possible turn and looks for whimsy in the unexpected. You can follow her @themidnightlibrarian.
