I have the honor of filling in for Sarah while she is on vacation. Filling in for each other has become a regular part of the team effort here at The Current over the summer. Our newer DJs like Danny have suddenly become veterans and veterans like Bill have learned something new by working on different shifts.

This week Thorn is taking a well earned break and again Bill is sitting in for him. I was wondering if it is fun for you as listeners to have the schedule shift a little so that you get to hear different voices during the times that you listen.

There are more variations in what might be called "regular programming" this week as we join the larger MPR family team at the State Fair!! I can hardly believe it is upon us already, seems like summer has only just established itself. Do you know where the MPR booth is? From the Grandstand walk down Nelson past the Giant Slide and it's on the left, right before you get to Judson. (See Map)Mary will be there every weekday afternoon and there's nothing she enjoys more than meeting you lovely folks that listen to us, so stop by, say hi and bring her a treat! Steve Seel is there on Saturday and Bill on Sunday, both from 3 - 7 p.m.

The Morning Show will be broadcasting live from there this Friday, you can pull funny faces at Dale and Jim Ed as they banter on the patio. The final Friday is MPR Day!! This annual event gets bigger and better every year. Garrison will again be playing the Grandstand and we have an awesome double bill of local bands playing in the Carousel Park area between 5 and 7 p.m. The sweet and sunny pop harmonies of The Hang Ups will blend marvelously with the trippy, blissed-out musical majesty that is Cloud Cult.

Spare a thought for all our operations staff who have to work extra hard and long hours to pull this all together, we may make it look and sound easy but technically it is an awesome achievement!

Personally I can't think of a better way to spend the last official day of summer than at the Fair helping our team wrap up these special presentations. I'll be on Labor Day from 2 - 7 p.m. taking the chance to wear white trousers for the last time, trying to find a pickle hat, and indulging in curds and mini donuts until I explode. We'll seeya at the Fair!!

mark wheat