I have a fan’s message to thank for this post. She mentioned that she’d soon be attending America’s oldest fair in Fredericksburg, Virginia. That brought back fond memories of fairs when I was growing up.
Back in the day, there were county fairs and state fairs. State Fairs were like county fairs on steroids. In fact at one time, state fairs had such a hold on the American psyche, Hollywood made a movie called “State Fair,” starring Pat Boone.
During the late summers of my childhood, my friends and I anticipated the Knox County Fair, in Southern Indiana, like it was the Second Coming. And we weren’t alone. The biggest group of fair-lovers were the farm kids, many of them 4-H members. They raised cattle, sheep and pigs to exhibit, and lusted after blue ribbons like an actor craves an Oscar. During fair week, at least one picture of a kid with his prize-winning animal would run on the front page of The Sun Commercial, our local paper.
Since I was in 4-H too, I displayed my baking attempts inside the exhibition hall and won a couple of ribbons for my yeast rolls and cakes over the years. Speaking of ribbons, there were multiple colors to encourage participation: blue and red, of course, but also white, yellow and green whose ranks I’ve forgotten.
My favorite fair activities, however, were the rides and the games of chance. Not the bravest of kids, I preferred the Tilt-a-Whirl, the Bumper Cars, and the Ferris Wheel, but not the roller coaster or a ride we called Salt and Pepper Shakers.
When I was little, I liked picking ducks from a flowing steam and when older, I aimed darts at balloons, happy with even a consolation prize. My nemesis was that darned coin toss at the dishes. Remember that? I never knew a kid who won anything at that booth, but who needs dishes when you’re ten years old? One year, my mother bought me a souvenir that I kept for years. It was a kewpie doll dangling from a skinny green pole. She wore feathers, spit curls and a big smile--Betty Boop on a stick.
Afterward, I always came home stuffed with food. Eating a corn dog was a must, with cotton candy for dessert, chased by a snow cone. I’m getting green just writing about it. I know that some fairs also offered funnel cakes, but either ours didn’t have them or I missed the funnel cake memo.
Probably because we were easily impressed, we Old Schoolers looked forward to the fair every year and were never disappointed.
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