Opening day of Summerfest 2009 is in the books. Here are some random observations from a long day on the grounds:

The Golden Boy: Packers legend Paul Hornung spent part of the afternoon signing copies of his book "Lombardi and Me" near the Mid-Gate. The book costs $40, but other signed items were $30.

Hornung looked older (and a little bigger) than the last time I saw him, but he charmed a couple of 40-something female fans from Green Bay while cooling off with a dish of ice cream. At one point, a man asked Hornung whether his legendary partying and Hornung said "I don't drink any more." Without missing a beat, his handler said "He doesn't drink any less, either."

One one hand, people might find it sad that Hornung uses gig like this to cash in on fame that he enjoyed nearly a half-century ago. On the other hand, the guy is a legend in the state.

A sign of summer: One of the striking things about walking through Summerfest on a warm day is the amount of exposed flesh that you see. It really is startling, because it always seems like we go from winter to summer in about 10 minutes around here. Unless you've spent time on a beach vacation, it's probably been a long time since you've seen a bunch of people in shorts, tank tops and summer clothes. By the time we get used to it, it'll be sweater weather again.

Did you hear? News of Michael Jackson's death spread quickly through the grounds on Friday. That's not surprising in this era of iPhones, Blackberrys and Twitter. But, it's interesting to eavesdrop on conversations as news spreads. For many patrons Thursday, it as one of those "Where were you when you heard the news?" moments.

Tough assignment: In the media trailer, a photographer for a local daily print publication asked for hints on how he could capture reaction to Jackson's death in a picture. His assignment desk asked him to perform a nearly impossible feat. Maybe if there were TV screens around, he could have caught some people watching with slack jaws. But, there were no impromptu gatherings or displays that were readily apparent.

Battle of the bands: I'm not one of those music snobs who rips cover bands. You have to be reasonably successful in order to land a Summerfest gig. If you want to use your time onstage to play a version of a song that has been played a million times by a million other bands before you, hey, knock yourself out. Is it asking too much, though, to keep the guitars in tune? I heard a few clunkers out there.

Snack attack: I tried a bag of the Combos that were distributed free near the Lakefront. The new flavor -- jalapeno cheddar tortilla -- wasn't bad, but it's no match for the pretzel version.

Word to the wise: If you're going to spend a good part of the day on the grounds, the best things you can do to enhance your enjoyment is use sunscreen and wear comfortable shoes. It's always surprising, after eight hours on the grounds, how sore your legs, hips and back can get.

In the swing: Dropkick Murphys bass player Ken Casey plans to hit the links Friday afternoon before his band's headlining set at the Harley-Davidson stage. Summerfest VP Bob Babisch said that several bands have booked tee times at venues ranging from Whistling Straits to Blackwolf Run and Milwaukee Country Club.

Very Important Party: The annual Summerfest kickoff party took place in the early evening near the Potowatomi stage. The buffet featured beef, shrimp, sushi, spinach-artichoke dip with tortilla chips and crab cake sandwiches. Guests included Summerfest CEO Don Smiley and members of the board, Mayor Barrett, Tim Sheehy from the MMAC, Common Council President Willie Hines and executives from some of Summerfest's corporate sponsors.

Counting calories? A few people at different beer stands asked for Miller Genuine Draft 64, the low-calorie brew. It was available near the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, but not at stands on the north end of the grounds.