Day 950: Alpacas, Balloons, and Burgers

Another Hamburger Fest weekend in little old Seymour means another fantasmic weekend with my roommates! This time, our adventures were a little bit different though. Last year we really showed them the ropes of Burger Fest, but this time around we went into the surrounding area, spent time closer to home, went on a balloon chase and, of course, ate hambrugers and cheese curds.

First, it was off to Megan's aunts house, where Hannah and Ashley were thrilled to finally get to meet the alpacas! While an Alpaca isn't a Llama, it definitely was giving me some Emperor's New Groove vibes, and now, thinking back to this experience, I really want to watch that movie. On the left Ashley has Samuel and on the right Hannah is chilling with Jedediah!

Next up was our Balloon chase. This year seemed to have a record number of hot air balloons, and instead of simply watching them go up like last year, we headed out on a mission to go after a few. So we drove around, watching as many of the balloons went right over our heads, including this awesome Irish inspired Balloon, which sadly didn't return for the balloon glow later on beacuse of a bit of an accident involving a tree. Everyone is alright though! 

Of course, once the balloons finally return to the grounds, it's time for the balloon glow, where, just as the sun finally sets, the balloons light up the night! 

And of course, a Hamburger Fest just wouldn't be complete without a Burger to eat! 

Which brings us to the end of another Burger Fest. For those of you who might not know, I live in a little town in Wisconsin named Seymour, known as the Home of the Hamburger. The dish was first invented here in 1885, and since then we've also claimed the record for the world's largest hamburger ever made. So every year in early August we have a huge festival to celebrate, filled with lots and lots of hamburgers, hot air balloons and plenty of fun! 

Have a magical day!

Day 222: Burger Fest

I talked a little about it yesterday, but yesterday was mostly about the Hot Air Balloons, so I'll go more indepth this time! But this weekend marks the 25th Hamburger Festival in my hometown of Seymour, Wisconsin.

You probably haven't heard of us, but you really should, because our town has probably affected your life. You see, way back in 1885 a man named Charlie Nagreen invented a little thing we like to call the Hamburger. He was selling meatballs at the county fair, which still takes place here in Seymour, when he wanted to come up with a way for the food to be more portable. So he put in between some bread and so the hamburger was invented! Sure there are other people that say they invented it too, but we were first, and the Wisconsin state legislature actually declared Seymour the Home of the Hamburger!

But that's not it! We didn't just invent the hamburger! If you check in the Guinness Book of World Records, you'll also find Seymour, Wisconsin in there for the record of the world's largest hamburger! Now don't ask me how big it is, because I have absolutely no clue, but it's GIANT. We actually have a special grill just to cook the big burger!

And once a year, generally one of the first two weekends in August, the entire town shows up for Hamburger Fest! This was our Quarter Century of it, but that's ok because it never gets old! Never! Along with the hot air balloons I was sharing yesterday, there's a lot of other stuff going on! Today, for instance, we had our parade, which I was in directing the band again. And there's a bun run, which is a 5K run in the morning, and of course, always a fan favorite: the ketchup slide!

Now, I'm not sure what this all has to do with Disney other than the fact that...wait a minute, I do know! It's a Star Wars relation! Did you ever wonder how George Lucas got the idea for the shape of the Millennium Falcon? Well wonder no longer! Can you guess where he got it? A HAMBURGER! That's right, watch the facts:

What now!?! There wouldn't be a Millennium Falcon without Seymour! How's that for a Disney connection!?! Oh yeah, and if you put Home of the Hamburger in annotation, it spells HOTH. How funny is that? I live on HOTH! Or in Hoth...but it makes more sense the other way.

Here's today's Disney History: 2012: Walt Disney World opens its "Lion King" wing at Disney's Art of Animation Resort. Themed to 1994's animated movie, the wind offers family suites and completes the third phase of WDW's newest hotel. The fourth and final phase, themed after The Little Mermaid, will open in September. 

Have a magical day!