County fairs showcase a community’s customs and talents, often featuring agricultural contests, arts and crafts exhibits, carnival rides, and greasy food. They bring locals together and offer something for everyone, creating a unique experience that celebrates the area’s personality.
A county fair is a local event often held in late spring, summer, or early fall. Fairs give communities a chance to showcase their unique customs and talents and can be a wonderful expression of a county’s personality. For longtime residents, the county fair can be a nostalgic event, bringing back memories of the Ferris wheels and cotton candy past and giving them a chance to introduce younger generations to a great tradition.
Many county fairs have specialized events or exhibits of local items. In farming towns or counties with a significant agricultural base, the fair may offer contests for the biggest produce, the best flowers, or the hardiest livestock. Farming groups like 4-H often encourage young members to join their livestock, teaching a new generation the values of agriculture and quality farm work. Other events, such as sheepdog trials or horse racing, pit local owners and ranchers against each other, bringing fame and sometimes fortune to the winner as well as entertainment for the crowds.
In addition to agricultural displays, county fairs often include arts and crafts exhibits or competitions. These displays can cover a wide variety of artistic mediums, from painting and photography to sculpture, quilt making, and ornamental woodwork. If you are visiting your county fair, take time to look at exhibits from your local community; not only will you come out with a better sense of the talent around you, you may find a favorite artist or crafter to contact for future work. Often, the art at county fairs goes up for sale, so prepare to walk away with the perfect watercolor to hang on the mantel.
For many people, the defining feature of a village fair is the carnival. While not as elaborate as Disneyland or as thrill-seeking as a heavy roller coaster park, the carnival rides are usually enough to induce whoops and whoops of delight. Many mid-carnivals will also include various games of skill, usually providing the rare winners with a stuffed animal big enough to protect your home. If you’re concerned that games are less than fair, try ones that pit contestants against each other, rather than against the odds.
County fair food is usually fragrant, greasy, and often fried. This is the day to throw the diet out the door and eat a corn dog. Some fairs have a habit of frying more and more ridiculous foods, including candy bars, sodas, and peanut butter sandwiches. The county fair may not be your calorie count’s friend, but it’s a once-a-year event. Try out the best local food vendors they have to offer and enjoy; just don’t ride the roller coaster directly after eating three deep-fried Twinkies and a gallon of lemonade.
Bringing locals together to celebrate their community is a great plan and offers something for everyone. Whether you guide a youngster on kiddie rides, have a first kiss on the whirlpool, or watch your next-door neighbor win gold in a cake-eating contest, attending the fair is a unique experience that can truly bring out the best in your area. So check your local listings and mark your calendars for a day at the show; Carnival is calling and there’s pink popcorn with your name on it.
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