Waiting for the ferris wheel at Viva Vienna

Every year on Memorial Day weekend, the community of Vienna celebrates with Viva Vienna!, a 3-day festival of amusement rides, entertainment, food, crafts, and vendors. 100% of proceeds go to charitable, community and humanitarian organizations. Growing up in this community, I have so many fun memories of attending as a child with my family, and then with my friends as a high school teenager! It’s yet another fond memory that I’m really happy I can share with Mio and Dan now that we’re back in my old ‘hood! Mio and I went two days in a row, and she had so much fun!

On Saturday, Dan was teaching a video workshop all day to the local community youth (such a great gesture on his part — so proud of him!), and our friends SunJae, Mie, and their son Kosei were visiting from Maryland so that SunJae (who is also a video editor) could assist Dan with the workshop. So Mie and I decided to take the kids to Viva Vienna! for a few hours of festival fun!

Festival fun at Viva Vienna with Mie and Kosei! ❤
Kosei and Mio riding the merry-go-round together! Mie is pregnant with baby #2 (a girl!), due in September.

 

So many ponies, but Mio picks the monkey to ride on.
Mio going on the merry-go-round a second time. So many ponies, but this time Mio picked the freaky monkey to ride on.

 

Viva Vienna
They had free face-painting at the festival.

 

Viva Vienna
The kids are happy with their painted faces! Kosei got a spider (“Spiderman!”) and Mio got to be a kitty cat.

 

Mio and I really enjoyed going to the festival with Mie and Kosei on Saturday, but because Mio had so much fun there and we still wanted to go with Dan as a family (especially since it’s so close!), the three of us went again the following day on Sunday. 🙂 It was actually much more crowded on the second day, probably because the vendors (who weren’t there on Saturday) had set up all their tents down Church Street on Sunday and Monday.

Viva Vienna
Mio grabbing a hold of Dan’s chicken on a stick!

 

Viva Vienna
Mio nomming on the chicken skewer. You have some chicken in your teeth!

 

Viva Vienna
She was SO HAPPY. She enjoyed the chicken skewer so much that even when Dan and I requested to take bites in between, she wouldn’t let go of the stick and would just guide it into our mouths, before putting it back into hers. I think she ended up eating most of it!

 

Viva Vienna
Mio was fascinated by this “pet cool-down zone” pool they had set up. She loved watching the dogs go in and out of the water, and wouldn’t budge from the spot for about 15 minutes!

 

Viva Vienna
We ran into the Lee family by the carousel! Here’s Mio riding with Danny and his mommy Stephanie!

 

Viva Vienna
I’ve always wanted to go on the ferris wheel with Mio, but she was never allowed to go on them in California, even with her parents. We were really excited to ride it together!

 

Viva Vienna
The view of Viva Vienna! from the ferris wheel.

 

Viva Vienna
Mio bravely looking over the edge.

 

Viva Vienna
She really enjoyed the ride! The rides she could go on were limited due to her height, but maybe next year she’ll get to go on more!

 

Viva Vienna
We met up with newlywed friends Mimi and Sujay, and Xiaolu and her new adorable dog!

 

Viva Vienna
Mio was of course very interested in the dog. She kept pointing at its curly tail and eventually was brave enough to pet it.

 

Viva Vienna
It got really hot as the day progressed! Cooling down with a frozen drink on the sidewalk.

 

Viva Vienna
Waiting for pizza afterwards at Luciano’s! Love this smile.

 

Viva Vienna
“Enough pictures! Bring out the food!”

 

Mio staring at the huge pizza in front of her.

 

We had a truly memorable couple days at Viva Vienna! Festivals, carnivals, and county fairs are probably one of my favorite things about summer, and I love that now I can experience it with our little family. We’re looking forward to making more fun summer memories in the coming months and years ahead!