Indiana State Fair

Did any of you head out to your local fair this summer? I've been a faithful attender of state fairs. Now that the kids are grown and I live in the city, how's it pertinent? For me, the state fair represents a wide slice of my childhood. As a 4-Her, my goal was to have my project go to the state fair. Can't remember my project ever getting there, but I always did, courtesy of my mother. As a single parent raising three children, special events were rare and hard to come by, but the state fair was one. For the price of admission, we not only got to see projects and horse shows, but plenty of free entertainment including the Circus, sponsored by Brown Brothers Cadilliac.  It was a real circus in a large red and white striped tent.  Each year the circus would return with new acts and the old favorites of the trapeze artists and lion tamer. They always put on a good show with  a Cadilliac driving in at the end with darkened windows. Then clowns would emerge from the car surprising everyone with how many could fit into one car. One year there was thirty-one clowns. They must have been stacked like cordwood inside the stripped out car.

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Why does the state fair continue to hold my interest as an adult of a certain age?  There is always something new to experience. This year we watched talented drivers manage eight horse teams and a wagon. It is no small trick to turn or reverse a team. 

They also had local brewers and vinters at the state fair this year, showcasing the local wines and ales. In fact, several local items are displayed from honey to salsa and available for purchase.

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Some of my best moments are watching the kids at the fair. I grew up on a farm, which means the sight of a cow, pig or even a chicken doesn't excite me too much. 

For the children, it is story book characters coming to life. They actually get to pet a baby piglet that could grow to be a Wilbur or a Babe.

The idea of milk coming from a cow is mind boggling until they see it happen. There is a little child in all of us too.  I stood by the team of draft horses waiting to go into the show arena overwhelmed by their sheer bulk and majesty.

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Then there's fair food. To the right is the huge cheese sculpture that shows up every year at the fair. It weighed in 1,536 pounds. Fair food consists of annual favorites like corndogs, gyros, and funnel cake along with anything that can be deep fried and put on a stick. My tastes were a little more refined this year. I headed for the Ribeye Sandwich vendor, which was in front of the cattle barn. There were plenty of treats to take home including kettle corn and Bavarian nuts.

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The fair evolves and changes to reflect its audience and state. This year the fair featured various stations for selfies photos. There were several free concerts from a Beatles tribute band to classic rock, and more modern bands. 

The fair also celebrates the state from high school band day to the antique tractor parade.  Each county sends their own 4-H princess to compete for the coveted State Fair Queen crown. Before  you consider this as a sexist contest, consider that the girls have to only be a 4-h member of a certain age to compete. There's no bathing suit competition.  It is one of the few chances a girl has to be a princess. They need a whole lot of help presenting ribbons at the fair, so several of the princesses get that honor. For a few days, they get to wear a banner and a crown. They're the envy of little girls everywhere.

 The fair  also brings people in contact with other people they might never meet, except at the fair, from participants, to carnies, farmers, and the occasional state trooper.
 
In the end, it's fun. You never know who you might end up getting a photo with either.

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I'd love to hear your state fair memories.

( The pictures were taken at the Indiana State Fair 2014.)

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