Thursday Thirteen
It is Fair Week in our town and so I thought I would list the Thirteen Things I Like About the Fair!
1. Exhorbant prices. Nothing says you've had the Fair Experience like getting gouged for a corndog.
2. Carnies. "Just one ball in a bowl wins you a prize! Come on, show your lady your skill and shoot out the red star for a spectacular prize! Put a ring on a bottle and win big! Banned from three continents for scaring innocent women and children, it's the world's hairiest woman. Step right up to see this freak of nature!" I have noticed they never give away prizes that would mean something to them like a bar of soap... a wash rag... maybe a bottle of cologne...
3. The rides. Call me anal but hearing a supporting strut creak every time the bulk of the weight comes around to it makes me think a little thing call metal fatigue just might be happening. I guess it is alright though because everyone is already screaming.
4. The food. I thoroughly enjoy the smell of grease infused food and yes, the food is actually quite yummy... all the way to the rides where you get to revisit it again as it leaves your body in a projectile manner. Luckily we have many local vendors who do a fine job with their offerings of culinary delights and they are quite enjoyable.
5. Enough with the sarcasm. I do like to look at the livestock exhibits. Working with cows and sheep during my younger days, I can appreciate the excellent standards represented in each breed. Cows are just the most contented of animals so maybe I just enjoy walking through all that cud chewing contentment.
6. I like to watch the faces of the kids. They are so excited and when you combine that with sugar shocked stimuli overload, they are a hoot to watch.
7. I like to watch people who are looking at the contest entries. Forgive me, but if you are getting excited over a jar of pickled okra because the presentation is superior to the other fifty jars present, I'm thinking you might need to get out a little more.
8. I love going to the fair during election time. I sign up all my friends for the "Yes, please put a sign in my yard" at each candidates table. Hey, they all need a little entertainment and this type is totally free.
9. This year they had an Iron Jack competition demonstration. Two exceptionally talented lumberjacks competing in all sorts of fun events including log rolling, log sawing, chopping, chainsaws, etc. They were funny and good which makes this activity quite fun for everyone.
10. The Petting Zoo. I think it's cool to feed and pet the animals.
11. Finding the Fair Fiend. Every night there is at least one unofficial Fair Fiend. You know who I am talking about... that one person who has spent a gazillion dollars on the games and is now walking down the Midway like he is king of the world because he and his girl are carrying armloads of stuffed animals, plastic toys, and wearing balloon crowns. I guess it is his night to be king and he should enjoy it to the max. You go Fair Fiend! You da man!
12. I always like the Fun Houses. Anything that jacks with your sense of balance and your brain is great stuff.
13. Walking around and taking all of the action in with friends you enjoy hanging with. That really makes the Fair Experience worthwhile.
You may think after reading this list of 13 that I do not like going to the Fair. I actually do enjoy going but only if friends are there with me. They are the ones that make the whole experience fun.
1. Exhorbant prices. Nothing says you've had the Fair Experience like getting gouged for a corndog.
2. Carnies. "Just one ball in a bowl wins you a prize! Come on, show your lady your skill and shoot out the red star for a spectacular prize! Put a ring on a bottle and win big! Banned from three continents for scaring innocent women and children, it's the world's hairiest woman. Step right up to see this freak of nature!" I have noticed they never give away prizes that would mean something to them like a bar of soap... a wash rag... maybe a bottle of cologne...
3. The rides. Call me anal but hearing a supporting strut creak every time the bulk of the weight comes around to it makes me think a little thing call metal fatigue just might be happening. I guess it is alright though because everyone is already screaming.
4. The food. I thoroughly enjoy the smell of grease infused food and yes, the food is actually quite yummy... all the way to the rides where you get to revisit it again as it leaves your body in a projectile manner. Luckily we have many local vendors who do a fine job with their offerings of culinary delights and they are quite enjoyable.
5. Enough with the sarcasm. I do like to look at the livestock exhibits. Working with cows and sheep during my younger days, I can appreciate the excellent standards represented in each breed. Cows are just the most contented of animals so maybe I just enjoy walking through all that cud chewing contentment.
6. I like to watch the faces of the kids. They are so excited and when you combine that with sugar shocked stimuli overload, they are a hoot to watch.
7. I like to watch people who are looking at the contest entries. Forgive me, but if you are getting excited over a jar of pickled okra because the presentation is superior to the other fifty jars present, I'm thinking you might need to get out a little more.
8. I love going to the fair during election time. I sign up all my friends for the "Yes, please put a sign in my yard" at each candidates table. Hey, they all need a little entertainment and this type is totally free.
9. This year they had an Iron Jack competition demonstration. Two exceptionally talented lumberjacks competing in all sorts of fun events including log rolling, log sawing, chopping, chainsaws, etc. They were funny and good which makes this activity quite fun for everyone.
10. The Petting Zoo. I think it's cool to feed and pet the animals.
11. Finding the Fair Fiend. Every night there is at least one unofficial Fair Fiend. You know who I am talking about... that one person who has spent a gazillion dollars on the games and is now walking down the Midway like he is king of the world because he and his girl are carrying armloads of stuffed animals, plastic toys, and wearing balloon crowns. I guess it is his night to be king and he should enjoy it to the max. You go Fair Fiend! You da man!
12. I always like the Fun Houses. Anything that jacks with your sense of balance and your brain is great stuff.
13. Walking around and taking all of the action in with friends you enjoy hanging with. That really makes the Fair Experience worthwhile.
You may think after reading this list of 13 that I do not like going to the Fair. I actually do enjoy going but only if friends are there with me. They are the ones that make the whole experience fun.
posted by Frustrated Writer | 6:08 AM
10 Comments:
Tubby's hot tip of the day (9/14/06):
Hot foot it over to
Laurie's blog check out her link to a random theme song then if you care to
share what comes up, put it in her comments box.
lol,
Tubby
when I was living in Illinois, my uncles and aunts would take me to the State Fair every year. we had a blast. unfortunately after one incident, I was never again allowed to go on fast, turbulent rides right after lunch. when I went a few years ago with the cousins, the fair wasn't half of what it used to be.
I totally agree. When I was a kid the fair was much more fun, maybe adulthood has tainted us?
I LOVED the petting zoo! It's by far my favorite. At the MN State fair this year I also discovered an interesting exhibit. Gross as it may sound I enjoyed the "birthing" exhibit where all the preganant animals and their newborns are. Although I didn't get to see any of the little buggers plop out, it was a hoot to watch piglets wiggle and squeal for position for the best spot at the "dinner table". Fun stuff.
very visual writing...i haven't experience much fairs, but petting zoo one with those alpacas! fell in love with those jap. animae eyez they gots!
ps....by the way, you got a survey to fill out if u don't mind....
The fairs around here seems to have lost the animal portion-- no more 4H displays of pigs or cows. Our fairs have also gotten ridicuously expensive. But I still can reminisce about the days when a corn dog tasted great and the ferris wheel ride was the highlight of my day... after getting a day off from school to go, of course! I'll bet Texas fairs are still great!
I haven't been to the fair for years. Dem might remember this but I'm protesting because they don't have the multi-colored ice cream anymore. It was all these different flavors and was by far my favorite about the fair. Plus, they took out the carosuel (sp) and I loved that.
Beth and I have talked about going just to eat a ton of junk food and people watch (and, of course, take a multitude of pictures).
Man..I drove by the fair the other night and realized I hadn't been in so long. I have wonderful memories of warm late summer nights watching my children get so much joy out of a little car going round in circles..i miss that..
Love ya, frustrated, but I'm disappointed you do not hold the art of impeccable okra pickling in the high regards it deserves...
Peter Pumpkin Picked a Peck of Pickled Okra.
Right. Around here, an okra is some sort of cheer. A corn dog is just unheard of. I described a "funnel cake" to one vendor and he just went "euuuuwhhh". We got the finest apples though. Candied, dipped in fudge, or just plain. A hundred different varieties! The MacIntosh apple was "invented" only ten miles from my place, so apples around here are big business.
Not to mention the biggest horses! I put some pictures of them on my blog because sometimes people don't believe me!
The heavy horse pull is still a strong event. Those equines are HUGE! They are not usually very pet-able though...being inclined to think those fingers scratching their nose feel a lot like something eatable...its okay, they spit them out when they find out they are not carrots.
These guys have feet the size of turkey platters! If they move a little and step on their foot, they don't really notice! Their shoes weigh in at more than three pounds each!
Glad you enjoyed your fair. Good to know there are SOME remnants of the good old days of fall fairs.
Post a Comment
<< Home