There are so few places left in the world that can make me feel like I am actually stepping back in time. And even fewer places that can do so in a personal way. But the Fair - it is one of those rare places.



Nestled along a high cliff about 15 minutes from my home, the Fairground is a truly unique plot of land. Not only for it's sentimental value to me, but for the land itself. The grounds are divided by the tall cliff in the center into two sections. The upper grounds (the Midway), and the lower grounds (The Grandstand and Tracks).



The gravel, dirt, and grass of the upper grounds are littered with the old buildings and stands. Many of them have been thickened by nearly a century of paint applications. Sure, there are a few new additions (a new livestock arena, a new display building for the tractors, etc.). But they are plain and understated, allowing them to blend in well with the older structures. An old, original log cabin sits near the upper gates. There I have often wandered in during Fair Week to peruse the albums of old pictures of the people and places within the County.



The Grandstand sitting on the lower grounds remains unchanged (with the exception of paint) since the time it was constructed in the 1890's. It provides a perfect view of the action taking place along the Horse Track and the area used for the Demo Derby, Tractor Pull, Tough Track, MotoCross, and Musical events.



As a kid, attending the Fair was a ritual. It was a time for my friends and I to enjoy ourselves outside of school one last time. It signaled the end of the Summer, and the start of a new school year.



As an adult, I attend the Fair as an exhibitor. Our family business rents a booth every year for promotional purposes. But secretly, it is a way for me to just "be there". To step back into my childhood, and soak it all in. To just breathe the nostalgic air. And sometimes my wife and kids will stop by, and we will enjoy the rides, games, and food together. It is a wonderful sight to see my kids smiling and laughing doing the same things I did, in the same place I did. So few experiences can match it.



This year, the Fair celebrates it's 150th year. It will be marked by a fireworks display (something that hasn't been done in a couple decades there). I plan on making this year as special as I can. I have my ticket to my past, and I'm anxious to use it once more.

I love the smell of fried foods at the fair in the evening.

thecrow174 wrote :
I love the smell of fried foods at the fair in the evening.

Oh, me too. Even better, I can access Rutland Roast Beef any time I want during the whole week! And then if I want, I can mix it up with some other good stuff. Blackberry or Rhurbarb pie for dessert is also nice. But if your really adventurous, yeah, there is always the fried Oreos and whatnot.

My county fair usually comes before Halloween. Sometimes it's afterwards. I think we had ours since after World War II.

This year's Fair has now officially ended. And, as always, I felt some deep sorrow seeing it go... disappearing until yet another year has passed in my life.

On the whole, this wasn't one of the better years at the Fair. I feel as though this one snuck up on me, and I was not prepared to fully promote our business. With the building that we usually set up our booth in having been renovated, and me just coming off a week of trying to regroup from my OCD attack, things just weren't the same.

But, by the end of the week, I was feeling like everything was just like old times... but without my wife and kids stopping by the final two days, or any of my friends stopping by either, it was a bit hollow. I didn't want to leave, but I didn't want to stay either. It's hard to describe.

I am resolving to be far more prepared to do something cool and different as far as promoting the business is concerned, and I'm hopeful that schedules allow for more time spent with friends and family next year as well.

It can't come soon enough.

i went to two county fairs during my late childhood, both were in greenville, ohio when i was visiting family from my mom's side. my memory's hazy from them but i recall that they started around 6 p.m..

During my time manning the booth this year, I decided to sketch what I felt like was the result of combining all male and female Fair attendees into one person representing each gender:

No elephant ears?

The fair is starting up in my area soon.