Sure, there were less guitars than anticipated (the guitar check-in guy by the beer garden speculated about 250), but LouieFest '06 at Sprinker Recreation center was a lot more fun than I expected. 
I saw things I haven’t seen in decades such as a roach clip with fuchsia feathers. 
I saw things that I’ve seen lampooned such as a real mullet that would have made  Joe Dirt proud.
I saw families having a great time, like the Johnston family.  Adison, 10, is an old hand at LouieFest, having attended before.  Her brother, Avery, 7, hasn’t been in one yet. “Because there wasn’t one last year,” explains his mom.  Avery was the lucky recipient of the raffle-prize amplifier, and stoked about it though he couldn’t lift it.  My guess is dad might help him bring it to the car, if he can have a turn with it.
Best part of the day wasn’t when I bellied my way up to the stage to photograph all the guitarists playing the Main Event; it came when I wandered the guitar-slingin’ crowd. All ages, all genres of guitarists, all manner of guitars gathered to play one song, with one notable riff. 
It was awesome.  You had to be there.
Next year? Go.  Because it’s a lot more fun than you might think. And did I not say, “beer garden”? â€" Jessica Corey-Butler