OUTDOOR Adventures

BY BRIAN G. SCHOMMER

It is in the air folks and there is no denying it. That smell of corn dogs (or pronto pups), deep fried cheese curds, funnel cakes and fresh hot popcorn coupled with the sounds of the midway can only mean one thing. County Fair time is here marking the midpoint of summer which leads to the question, “where the hell did the summer go?” Before you know it, the kids will be back in school, the bleachers will be full under the glow of the lights at local football fields on Friday nights and people will be complaining that the temperature is “too cold.” As I sit at the keyboard, the forecast for today is in the upper 90’s nearing 100… for those complainers, just keep today in the back of your minds.

County Fairs, like most events, mean different things to different people. Some folks really enjoy hanging out in the barns with the cows, chickens, pigs, and other animals. I love seeing connection between the kids and their animals. To me, this is the best part of walking through the barns. Not far from the animal barns one finds the mercantile sheds where various vendors of all kinds can be found from politicians to those neat gadgets impulse buyers are known to pick up and put in their kitchen drawers, never to be seen again. Admit it, you have a few of those things. In between these destination locations of a fair, there are food booths as far as the eye can see. From the local civic organization selling hot dogs, pork chops or some other grilled delicacy to fancy professional food trucks rigged with flashing lights serving up corn dogs (or pronto pups), deep fried cheese curds, funnel cakes and hot popcorn, there is no shortage of food. To wash it all down, you are sure to find plenty of stands providing pop, root beer floats, water and no fair is a fair without at least one beer tent. Like those infomercials on television… but wait, there’s more.

The GRANDSTAND… oh, what fun can be found at the grandstand. From the smash ‘em up thrills and spills of a demolition derby to live music performances, the grandstand offers additional opportunity for fun at the fair. A favorite for many is going to a tractor pull, which I must admit, that in 55 years of living, I am not sure I have ever attended such an event. I did see a couple “pedal car” type tractor pulls years ago but have never witnessed the souped-up version of standard farm implements pulling a weighted sled. I guess it could be fun and maybe someday I will take the time to check it out because, unless you try something, you really don’t know if you will like it or not. I do know that watching cars crash into each other intentionally is something that I really get a kick out of. Considering I recently retired from a nearly 20-year career in the insurance industry, some might think a demo derby could cause PTSD. I’m not too worried.

What are your favorite parts of the County Fair? If you are a people watcher, there might not be a better place in the world than a fair. The old saying goes, it takes all kinds to make the world go around and there is no shortage of all kinds at a fair. Attendance at a county fair provides support for so many different communities, organizations, and individuals. The number of volunteers it takes to plan and execute a county fair is probably well beyond what most of us would imagine. From the people working the gates and helping you find a parking spot, to those drawing a cold brew for you to wash down your corn dog (or pronto pup), it takes people to put on such a large event. People, who in most cases, are volunteering their time and effort so that YOU can have a good time. If something isn’t quite to your hopes, expectations, or satisfaction, please remember that these folks are volunteers and human beings. Treating them kindly and with respect is the decent thing to do.

The greatest thing about a County Fair… most of it is OUTDOORS. It does not matter if you prefer a corn dog over a pronto pup, love the grandstand but could do without the animals or think that all the vendors are just their trying to gather your information to use to further their careers (duh… that is literally what they are there for). You have an opportunity at the County Fair to ENJOY life and you get to “Get Out and Enjoy the Great Outdoors.” See you out at a fair soon, I hope. PS… Corn dogs, like their name implies, contain more cornmeal than flour in their batter. Pronto pups contain more flour than cornmeal (often without any cornmeal) giving them a lighter batter.