Enjoyed an Art Festival Today
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (127737)
Gainesville, Florida
February 28, 2026 5:54pm CST
We had a very popular, but small local art festival scheduled today just a hop, skip and a jump down the road from where I live. It's one of my favorite art festivals in our community, not only because of its proximity to my home, but also because it feels so much more intimate than the other huge art festivals that come to our town.
I was worried about attending the festival today because we were forecast to get some heavy thunderstorms in the area, but luckily the bad weather arrived early (overnight), and didn't affect the festival at all. In fact, it may have helped because today was cloudy and overcast, but nice and cool without the sun beating down on us.
Silly me, I forgot my wallet at home, but I didn't worry too much, because if I had found a "must-have" art piece, it would have taken me less than 5 minutes to run home, grab my wallet, and return to pay for the art. Sadly, though, nothing jumped out at me worthy of my money. But still some very beautiful art we got to look at.
Which brings me to two questions for the myLot world:
1. Do you enjoy art festivals in your community?
2. Have you ever embarrassed yourself by forgetting your wallet or purse when you went out shopping?
16 people like this
16 responses
@Ineeddentures (21943)
•
28 Feb
No
And
Yes
Quite often to be honest.
Even forgot to take it to a pub we were playing darts at and people bought me drinks all night.
I got drunk
Glad you enjoyed the beautiful art
3 people like this
@Ineeddentures (21943)
•
1 Mar
@moffittjc
You would get thumped.
A total lack of sense of humour from these people who sit on our pubs all night getting pissed as a fart
Not really places strangers go.
Or many locals, nobody can afford it.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
@Ineeddentures Well, that ruins my plans then. I would have thought your fellow Scotsmen would be happy to entertain and get a crazy American drunk!
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (21943)
•
3 Mar
@moffittjc
They would sit on a little corner staring at you all night and passing sarcastic comments until I told them to shut up.
Strangers take years to be made welcome here
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49918)
• Staten Island, New York
1 Mar
I’m not sure that I’ve been to an art festival. Unless I just forgot about it. I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten my wallet. I did forget my phone though. Felt empty without it.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
5 Mar
@lovebuglena That would have been funny if you actually called his cell phone to tell him he forgot it!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
I love art festivals, because I love checking out and admiring all the different forms of art. And I almost always will buy something at an art festival just to support the art community.
A couple of weeks ago I left the house for work, and realized when I got to work that I forgot my phone. Like you, I felt completely empty without it, so I left and went back home to get it, which was really stupid since it's a 30-minute drive one way, but I would have been completely useless at work if I hadn't gone home to get it, just because I would be stressing about my missing phone all day. So I lost an hour's worth of work (and pay) just because I HAD TO HAVE MY PHONE! LOL
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (49918)
• Staten Island, New York
4 Mar
@moffittjc wow! That sucks but if you gotta have your phone to work no choice but to go home and get it. I remember there were a few times when hubby’d leave for work and forget his phone and then have to turn around and come back home to get it. What’s funny though is that when I saw his phone I wanted to call his cell and tell him he forgot it at home lol.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
Me too! I've always been a fan of festivals and museums. We have a wonderful museum and art gallery at the University of Florida that I love going to all the time, even though I've seen everything there a zillion times.
@DaddyEvil (169860)
• United States
1 Mar
We don't have art festivals here, probably because our community is so small. I have been to a couple of large art festivals in Springfield years ago when I had friends who were interested in that type of thing.
And no, before I leave the house, I pat my pockets to make sure I have my wallet, phone and keys. If Pretty doesn't see me patting my pockets, she asks if I'm SURE I have everything I need before I close and lock the front door. (She has forgotten things she needs when we leave and we've had to turn around and come back to the house for them. 
)
)2 people like this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
So, just like you describe in your second paragraph, I almost always pat my pockets to make sure I have my keys, wallet and phone. And just like your daughter, my daughter or girlfriend almost always asks me if I have everything. But for some reason in this instance I didn't pat my pockets, and no one questioned me or reminded me as we went out the door. Geez, what are the odds?
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
I have Apple Pay on my phone, so technically I wasn't without money even though I forgot my wallet. But not everyone accepts Apple Pay, so I may have been limited in what I could have purchased at the art show. Thankfully, nothing caught my fancy and I ended up not wanting to spend any money while I was there.
I wasn't worried so much about the money part of forgetting my wallet, I was thinking more or less about a scenario where I got pulled over by the police, or worse, got in a car accident on the way home. The odds were super low considering I only lived less than a quarter mile from the art show, but still....
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Mar
@noni1959 My daughter told me she did the same thing. She has a photo of her drivers license saved on her phone. It's actually a pretty smart idea.
1 person likes this
@noni1959 (12709)
• United States
9 Mar
@moffittjc I added my insurance and registration to mine too. I decided not to carry around my registration and asked the local police if that was OK, and they said they would accept it since can check. They couldn't answer for other areas but that is good to know.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (55895)
•
1 Mar
I love looking at art festivals. I especially like what some people would likely consider quirky or different or even hippie-like. It’s just fun to see.
I always take my shoulder bag. The only time I can remember recently is a few weeks ago, I reached for my wallet and realized it was sitting at home by my laptop. I had paid a bill online, that particular site isn’t very phone-friendly so I didn’t use my phone to pay. Luckily, I was at my nemesis. The pharmacy. It’s only a few blocks away so I went home and grabbed it!!
3 people like this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
You would have loved this art festival, it was about as quirky and hippie-like as they get. And yet I loved it. They even had a live band of old hippies playing nothing but 60s music. And it was great! haha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Mar
@MarieCoyle I have always been drawn to 60s music for various reasons: the vibe, the cultural revolution, the protest songs, love and freedom, and many other reasons. And yes, I was just a thought back then, but the music still resonates with me even though I didn't live through the times.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (55895)
•
4 Mar
@moffittjc
Hippies from the 60's...I was just a kid then and you were more than likely just a thought, but there is just something about the old hippie style music that grabs my attention. Quirky and fun. I definitely would have loved it. 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (83882)
• United States
2 Mar
We have a major, nationally recognized arts show here in October, the St. James Court Art Show.
Oh, yes, I’ve forgotten my wallet more than once. I was in a restaurant I frequent and realized i didn’t have my wallet. They comped it. I went home and got my wallet to pay for it, but my server wouldn’t take it..so I tipped her more than the cost of the food.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
That was very nice of your server to refuse the payment, and also very nice that you tipped her handsomely. I would have done the same thing.
In fact, there was one time I went to a restaurant in my younger days when I was poor, and at the end of the meal when I went to pay using my debit card, I didn't have enough funds to cover the cost. The manager was very nice about it and comped my meal for me, and I promised I would pay back what I owed. Sure enough, as soon as payday arrived, I went back to pay cash for the meal. The manager wouldn't take the money, so I said to use it to help out a homeless person who needed a meal.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (39672)
• Toccoa, Georgia
1 Mar
I like art festivals. I have always brought my wallet but once I forgot my phone at home and felt lost without it.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
I'm the same way with my phone. Even though I rarely use or take my phone out of my pocket while I'm working, I'd be a complete wreck if I knew I had forgotten it. It's like a modern day security blanket for me. haha
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (495356)
• Italy
4 Mar
@moffittjc My father was very bad in forgetting things.
My father was very bad in forgetting things.1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Mar
@LadyDuck I don't remember my father ever forgetting things, but my son sure has a bad habit of forgetting things!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
It always seems to be a guy thing! Women hardly ever forget their purse or wallet.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (131021)
• Marion, Ohio
1 Mar
Glad the storms were early and you didn't see anything you had to have.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Mar
@wolfgirl569 At least I'm honest about it!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
I saw a pretty lady walking around that I would have liked to have had! But I don't think she was for sale! LOL
And my girlfriend would not have let me keep such beautiful artwork.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (251140)
• United States
1 Mar
No and no
I don’t go to the art festivals here, but do go to them in CT. I only bought one piece of art. Usually go to galleries. I don’t like being out in huge crowds.
Never forgot my purse, but years ago didn’t have enough money in my wallet to pay for all my groceries. Back then, cash was the way to go. Thankful for credit cards.
I don’t go to the art festivals here, but do go to them in CT. I only bought one piece of art. Usually go to galleries. I don’t like being out in huge crowds.
Never forgot my purse, but years ago didn’t have enough money in my wallet to pay for all my groceries. Back then, cash was the way to go. Thankful for credit cards.1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
I forgot my wallet one time when grocery shopping at Publix. They were very understanding, and told me that would keep my cart full of groceries in the cooler in the back while I ran home to get my wallet. That was nice of them to do that. Thankfully, I only lived right around the corner, so I was out of there and back again with my wallet in less than 10 minutes.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (21726)
• United States
10 Mar
I love art festivals. I haven't been to one in long time. No I have never forgotten my purse or wallet before. But I had some money stolen from once and had to go shopping and a nice guy in the line bought the thing I needed.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Mar
That was nice of the guy to pay for the things you needed. Not too many good people like that left in the world.
@Traceyjayne (8895)
• United Kingdom
1 Mar
We don’t really have art festivals …..we do have food festivals and hand made crafts fayres etc…..i like going to those. I’ve never forgotten my purse but have gone out with just my card and stalls have been cash only. Usually The Mister is with me and he always has cash.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
I love festivals and fairs where everything is hand-crafted. To me, those are always the most unique, interesting things to buy.
Here in the US, it seems very few people ever pay with cash anymore. People either use credit cards or they have some type of payment (credit or debit) saved to their digital wallet on their phone.
@LindaOHio (216279)
• United States
1 Mar
I'm not familiar with any art festivals in our area. I'm sure Cleveland has some.
I only forget money and/or my purse in my dreams. It happens quite frequently.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Mar
Funny enough, I've never had a dream like that before. Watch, now that I said that, I'll probably dream about that tonight!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127737)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Mar
@LindaOHio That's what credit cards are for! LOL
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (216279)
• United States
4 Mar
@moffittjc I always end up somewhere that I want to buy something; but I don't have any money on me.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (34319)
• United Kingdom
1 Mar
There is an annual 'open doors' event here for artists of all sorts to open their doors to the public to see what they have to offer. I don't go though because naturally they expect you to buy, and I basically don't. Unless I see something truly outstanding that I simply must have, or something useful.
In the past I didn't buy pretty things because I couldn't afford to spend money on them. Now I don't buy because I can't help thinking that in a few years I will die and just leave more 'stuff' for someone else to deal with.
As for forgetting my wallet, I did that once when I had been using my card to buy something online, then I went out and left my wallet on the table and didn't realise until I was at the checkout. Luckily I have a separate purse for cash and I was able to scrape together just enough from there and the little purse we have in the car with change for parking!
1 person likes this
@thedevilinme (4913)
• Northampton, England
1 Mar
A lot of people think they are artists - but they are not.lol
1 person likes this
