We're entering fair season! The Ohio State Fair is in full swing, although I doubt I'll make it there this year. I have intentions of going every year, as I recall how I used to go with my mom and aunt on say, a Wednesday, and it was fantastic. Low crowds during the week meant seeing lots more exhibits and tours through the animal barns without a mess of people. Well, since I'm a rootin' tootin' grown up now (which I couldn't wait to be as a child....dumb, I know) I can only go on a weekend day. And I don't like crowds. So I've stayed away from the state fair. Makes me a little sad. However, the Hartford Fair, which is for all intents and purposes the Licking County fair, starts in just a few days! Fresh cut fries, fried dill pickles, and pepperoni sticks here I come! Seriously, I've been known to get a pepperoni stick from the fair in August, take it home and freeze it, and reheat it November as a remembrance of summer goodness. My mom's garden club enters the flower arranging contest for the fair, and sometimes I help make arrangements, so of course I like seeing how the arrangements get scored. It's usually disappointing, and I end up saying something like, "Who judged this? They clearly have no appreciation for the wabi sabi-ness of an arrangement!" I generally say this when my arrangements have failed to place. Of course when they do I think the judge is a genius. Last Saturday I went to Fun Days. It's a little street fair in the tiny town of Alexandria.
Fun Days is in it's 64th year! It was great when I was a kid with lots of rides, school kids to hang out with, and great food that was provided by the service club which consisted of many of the men in the village. Well, times have changed. People are less inclined to leave their homes, computers, and tv's to come to the fair, and there are less volunteers who are giving their time to keep this community event going. But the small group of people who are volunteering their time are working super hard and doing an excellent job. Each year they come up with new events to attract more people, and they were even able to extend the event by a day this year! And they managed to lure a french fry vendor this time.
Yes, that is a bucket o' fries. I shared it. Really.
There's always a square dance on the Saturday night of the fair. I don't join the square dance because I don't know to square dance. I remember during a grade school Phys Ed class we were taught how to do-si-do, but that's all I remember. I have a feeling that's all we were taught. I'm asked every year to join, and I always adamantly refuse so that I can save myself the embarrassment. It doesn't really matter because ninety percent of the people out there don't know what they're doing. There is always one square of oldies that are there every year, and they don't miss a beat. All the other squares watch them for guidance. I've promised that next year I will join, so I've kinda screwed myself. Now I have to learn how to square dance. Sitting here with another tab open to look up square dancing lessons in the metro area.
This little fair is pretty close to my heart. It's right across the street from where my grandma used to live in the town that my mom grew up in. It's full of summer recollections. I will never stop going, or helping out, as long as it continues.
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