The Great Darke County Fair

Summer would not be complete and school could not start with out the annual trip to the Great Darke County Fair. Shawn and I grew up in Darke County and to me there is no other fair!! We were spoiled growing up to have such a large fair with a great focus on 4-H & agriculture. Plus the amazing amount of food! The Dayton news did a spot on the fair and I saw it while I was home. It said there was over 100 food vendors at the 185 acre fairgrounds. I walked the whole thing, multiple times! That includes the parking lots. Shea seemed to think we parked on the other side of the world. Thank goodness for the tractor that comes along and you take a seat on the bench it pulls. Both kids really liked that ride. I never realized how good I had it as a child until I grew up and ventured to other county fairs. While some have been really nice, none quiet compare. I'm not just saying this since it's my "home fair", people come from all over to attend this fair. This was Will's first year. He liked it, until he got sick and was unable to attend any more days while we were there. I was not feeling well but still managed to eat my fair food and take Shea around to the good spots. Bowmen's tenderloins, fudge in the coliseum, strawberry lemonade mixes, harness racing, games, rides, animals...We packed it all in!

Mom and Dad let the kids play a couple of games. Shea was thrilled! Will did well with the guaranteed winner, the duck game. Shea also did the bungy bouncy thing, for lack of a better way to explain it. Shawn's parents took her around to all the animals. She even got to see the cows being milked and there were lots of questions about that! I avoid the barns at all costs, too much sneezing for me! We took a few hours one day to let Shea ride all the rides. That was fun, I did the bumper cars with her. Ahh...the old memories there. Aunt Linda got tapped to go on the big ship with her. They both loved it. It was a lot of fun to run into and catch up with old friends, that is a tradition at the fair.

The duck game!

Will being goofy waiting on Shea to be done jumping.

Aunt Linda and Shea on the Ship ride.

Shawn was in Texas for a few days so he missed the fair this year. We were telling her that she was old enough to try the cane game. This game has been in the same spot at the fair for over 100 years. We used to run to this game as a kid, it was the cool thing to walk around with one. Shea tried a couple of times and we finally won two canes. Afterward she looked at me with this puzzled look...

"Mamma, what do I do with this thing now"?

"Well Shea, you walk around with it. You don't hit, poke, or trip other's with your cane".

"Oh". "I feel like an old person with a cane", says Shea.

Little does she know, I told her the rules of what not to do with them from experience. I'm sure one day she will be doing those same things with the cane at the fair. Until then, it's just a cane.




Last year at the fair my Mom took Shea to win a gold fish, and Goldie was "born". We still have her and this year Shea decided that she needed a friend. I told her that we were leaving on Wednesday and I would make sure we got one then. That is the only thing she wanted to do that day, she was tired and wore out. I took her to the fair, to the spot she won Goldie. After 28 balls and $3.00 later there was no fish and melt down mode had approached. Fountain of tears. I assured her we were not leaving the fairgrounds with out a fish in hand. I said, there is another place on the way out. We finished up with the other last minute things to do. We went to the other booth, put our $2.00 down for the 20 balls. I said, "this is it, we'll do it". After a few attempts she asked me to throw one...WINNER, we got a fish. Whew...we can go home. Nope! Shea had more balls to finish throwing... WINNER, we got a fish....That is two now! Goldie was fish-mates, Spot and Sara. They are all getting along nicely.

Shea, Spot & Sara.

The kids, Chief and I were all tired by the time we got home Wednesday night. Fair is over and now school can start. Sad... I hate it when summer winds down. It is my favorite time of the year.

Thank goodness we're home!