Ended Official BYC 2021 Summer Fair—Favorite Fair Memories

[bikerchix]

my fair memory is going to the fair on my first date with my husband. we went through all the barns to see the pigs, cows, horses and sheep, then through the wildlife barn. then through the midway where he won me a large stuffed animal. THEN to the rides(why we didn't do the rides before the stuffed animal i don't know). then it's off to the big wooden roller coaster called Zingo. he's riding with his hands in the air and i'm trying to hang on to this stuffed animal and the seat bar at the same time because i don't like roller coasters! we've been married 43 years now but he hasn't got me on another roller coaster.

 

[adrikeen]

My home state of Delaware is tiny - you can experience city life, suburbia, historic, country, and coastal all within 2.5 hours. The State has plentiful fairs for all interests, ages, cultures and religions, especially during the warmer months. I've participated in many in my 47 years but my favorite, and fondest memories from, is the Delaware State Fair. This fair showcases our agricultural heritage (the rides are pretty awesome too....and can't forget funnel cake!). My love for animals and gardening (and probably hot dogs) came from this fair. I'm technically a suburbia girl but this didn't stop my parents from making a yearly trek to the country and bringing the country back home to the suburbs by planting large flower gardens, a large vegetable garden and a chicken coop after I fell in love with chickens. I have albums of beloved State Fair photos of myself trying to catch elusive chickens and of my first pony rides (although somehow I wound up scared to death of horses as an adult ). I've carried my love for chickens since childhood and now have 2 dozen plus fluff balls running around. I love going back to the fair every year just to see what and who I can adopt (in between mouthfuls of french fries, fried oreos, and other treats).

 

[adrikeen]

Ok, my original was too long.....so here's the rest (but don't count this one...it's just for fun!)

Just for fun, my most cherished fair memory is actually not of chickens or anything 4H, but actually of the police. I can see everyone's eyebrows raising. For those of you that remember Herbie the Luv Bug, the police had a police car (mind you this is the mid 70's) made up like Herbie and the car actually talked to the kids. I know now it was a hidden police officer just talking through the CB radio, but it was a great thrill for a little girl who loved the Herbie movies! Oh! That should be my next adopted fair chicken's name!

 

[N F C]

Ok, my original was too long.....so here's the rest (but don't count this one...it's just for fun!)

Just for fun, my most cherished fair memory is actually not of chickens or anything 4H, but actually of the police. I can see everyone's eyebrows raising. For those of you that remember Herbie the Luv Bug, the police had a police car (mind you this is the mid 70's) made up like Herbie and the car actually talked to the kids. I know now it was a hidden police officer just talking through the CB radio, but it was a great thrill for a little girl who loved the Herbie movies! Oh! That should be my next adopted fair chicken's name!

I remember the Herbie movies, that would have made an impression on me as a kid too

 

[Cecisflock]

I don't actually want to enter the contest, just share a story. Mkay so as we know I live in Iowa, and the Iowa state fair is awesome. One of the biggest in the nation I believe... anyway my uncle owns the Bird's Nest at the fair. Looks like this-

And this- View attachment 2701591
Anyway all of my memories of the fairs as a kid revolve around THIS stand. The mac and cheese from this thing when you are so hot you may pass out is to die for. Honestly the best food for 3 bucks.

 

[N F C]

I don't actually want to enter the contest, just share a story. Mkay so as we know I live in Iowa, and the Iowa state fair is awesome. One of the biggest in the nation I believe... anyway my uncle owns the Bird's Nest at the fair. Looks like this-

And this- View attachment 2701591
Anyway all of my memories of the fairs as a kid revolve around THIS stand. The mac and cheese from this thing when you are so hot you may pass out is to die for. Honestly the best food for 3 bucks.

How fun that someone in your family is such a part of the state fair! Thank you for sharing that!

 

[SueT]

My favorite county fair memories are here in Lamar MO, the town where my husband grew up. We moved here to his parents' farm in 2006.
Lamar's free fair is set up around the town square, the carnival rides and all! They always choose the hottest week of the summer. There's a parade. There's all the junk food, the games etc. There's the livestock show, the crafts, the baby contest etc. I love small town fairs! I didn't know these growing up in urban America. Now we go to the fairs in every county around us, every year!

 

[N F C]

My favorite county fair memories are here in Lamar MO, the town where my husband grew up. We moved here to his parents' farm in 2006.
Lamar's free fair is set up around the town square, the carnival rides and all! They always choose the hottest week of the summer. There's a parade. There's all the junk food, the games etc. There's the livestock show, the crafts, the baby contest etc. I love small town fairs! I didn't know these growing up in urban America. Now we go to the fairs in every county around us, every year!
View attachment 2708167

Love the picture Sue, beautiful carousel!

 

[Xouie]

When I was a kid my family showed dairy goats. During the fair week, the older kids lived in the goat barn. Literally. It was pretty prestigious to have that special wristband that said we could be onsite at all hours. Some of the grownups had trailers onsite and would make meals — often things we didn’t see at home very often, like hot dogs, potato chips, and lemon meringue pie. After dinner we got to use the fairgrounds showers (very cool when you’re 10, for some reason). Then all of us got to the nightly business of figuring out bunk mates, rolling out sleeping bags in vacant pens and camping out with the goats.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

My mother and I do not have the best relationship right now, so looking back on this favorite fair memory is a bit bittersweet for me. Growing up, I remember every October watching my mother in the kitchen baking for the state fair, and the smells of all the desserts and bakes being made was one of my favorite things about that season. The time finally came for me to be old enough to bake entries for the fair on my own, and that year my mother and I both entered a variety of things like cakes, cookies, and other sweets. When it came time for us to go to the fair and see how everything did before we got on all the fun rides, I saw my mother’s face drop as we walked to the case where the goods were on display. Suddenly, she was half yelling and half crying, and as I came over, I saw that we had both won the most prestigious awards for our respective classes. Both of us had won a silver platter (“Best of Fair”) and blue ribbons, with a cash prize, and my mother had received a tricolor ribbon as well for her entry. That was my favorite fair memory, my mother and I both winning the most sought-after prizes for our cakes the same year. (I am sad to say I cannot enter a photo of the platter, it was lost in a fire, but the memory remains!)