The County Fair

Today is the last day of the County Fair up in my hometown/county. Having lived there for nearly 40 years of my life, I really enjoyed fair time there. As a kid, I was in 4-H, so had various projects for that. Later on, I enjoyed entering things as an adult in open class categories.

After moving to this neighboring state, I learned there are all kinds of ways to have a fair, after taking part in the local one. Many things are different from what I was used to up home, compared to what they do here. (Many communities in this area have a summer fair for a long weekend, usually Thursday through Saturday.)

There are some differences between the two, and it's kind of interesting. Home, goes for a little over a week, with events scattered over that time. Here, everything's packed into three days. Home, each entry gets a ribbon based on its own merit, plus a premium for the ribbon won. Here, there are three ribbons per class (1st, 2nd, 3rd), and that's it. The rest in that particular class may be just as good, but miss out on a ribbon and a premium.

There are events in common, and there are unique events to each place. Both have project entries, horse and livestock shows, cattle-sorting events, kiddie tractor pull, turtle race (plus kids' races here), and carnival and food fun. Unique up home, a 4-H style revue, mud run, team roping, pet show, poultry and rabbit showing, baked food sale, quilt drawing, free BBQ and watermelon, and a dance. Unique down here, parade, cake auction, actual carnival rides, and free entertainment (various individuals and groups each of the three evenings).

I remember as a kid in 4-H, making knitted slippers, pillowcases, cookies, and other such things as fair entries. Then I dropped out of 4-H for awhile. But as a high schooler, I had acquired a horse, so had him as a project for a year, and took part in the horse show. As an adult, I enjoyed the needlework (quilts and crocheting), foods, fine art and gardening categories. Maybe a photograph here and there. Also a few times, Dad and Grandma put craft things in, and Mom did some baking and crocheting once. It really is a family affair, and all ages can enjoy taking part.

The free BBQ (which happens to be taking place even as I type this) was always good. Usually BBQ beef on a bun, with beans and potato salad. Then there's also free watermelon. Hubby and I had a special liking for the beans they had in the earlier years made by a certain individual, they were good and flavorful and GARLICKY. Sometimes you could see the garlic floating in them! One year, the caterers (it changed groups somewhere along the line) ran out of BBQ meat, so the folks at the end of the line were getting SAUCE ON A BUN. No meat! BUT, hey, that sauce was good, so we ate it and enjoyed it along with the beans and potato salad, and laughed about the "sauce-on-a-bun." It's usually awfully HOT this time of year, so Dad and I would always brave the 100+ heat for the meal, but Mom usually opted to stay at home where it was cool!

Older Son was in 4-H for awhile when we still lived up home, and one project he took was foods. One time he made blueberry muffins, and I was helping him that evening in the kitchen for them to be entered the next morning in the fair. We were pouring the batter into the muffin tins, and realized we forgot to add the melted butter to the batter. BACK into the bowl (quickly, I might add!) went the batter, he added the butter and stirred it in, then BACK into the muffin tins .... they surprisingly baked up OK! I think this was the time he got some kind of champion or reserve champion ribbon on them, so had to make more for the auction. He did, and we put them in a basket for him to carry out in the ring. (Bidders pay high, high prices for these champion goods, just as a fun way to contribute to the 4-H-ers.) Well, he was still a kid yet, and he was maybe nervous, and while he was out there in the ring with his muffins being auctioned, he was swinging that basket around! I was holding my breath hoping none would fly out! I think they stayed. ha ha

After we moved away to a town in this state that was still fairly close, the boys and I went up to take in some of the fair activities that year. We went up for the horse show, which takes place on Monday morning of fair week. We intended to stay all day, and all night at our house that was still ours at the time, and then go back (to our "new") home the next day. WELL. That day was so scorching hot, it was insanely miserable! We finally left the horse show early, and just headed back home!

A few years later, the four of us had the chance to go up there and visit a few days during fair time. That was pretty fun to see it all again. Following are a good number of pictures from that time, I guess it was "only" four years ago, seems longer!

(I apologize for the quality of the pictures .... many are blurry .... blaming the camera and the lighting!)

ENJOY:

Me visiting the exhibits that year, "Let me take you on a tour ..."

A 4-H banner.

Usually the first place I'd go, was to the "Needlework" room, which was in the band/music room in the high school. Here are some pictures that show the setup, plus closer pictures of some of the entries.

A recent addition in the last few years has been a quilt block contest/class, then the blocks are assembled into a quilt to be raffled off the NEXT year during the fair. I think this particular year in the pictures, was the first time for the class. This shows all the blocks entered, plus a closeup of the three winning blocks.

Now let's go to the cafeteria, where all the other indoor exhibits are on display.

I'll break this down in divisions, with groups of related pictures.

FINE ARTS

PHOTOGRAPHY

CRAFTS - SEWING - WOODWORK

FLOWERS - GARDEN PRODUCE

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATIVE PROJECTS

(below - Older Son checking out an exhibit)

CANNING - PRESERVING

FOODS

Something I like that they do at the county fair up home, is the baked goods sale. When baked items are judged, the jude samples from a small part of the entry, then the rest of the baked item (cake, cookies, muffins, bread, whatever) is taken to a table in the entryway for folks to buy. That way they don't just sit in the exhibit building for three or four days and go to waste. Instead, they can be enjoyed while they're fresh and the sale helps the fair funds.

Cookie Jar Contest ... lone entry that year ...

Baked goods ...

That's all for now! I also have pictures of the team sorting they did that year, but will put that in a separate post. I'd say this post was PLENTY long, but hope the memories and pictures were enjoyable.