State Fairs

[Blonde Heat]

Does anyone ever go to the State Fairs in your respective states?

If so what is your favorite part?

Mine would be the free concerts.

[DMS 525]

Oh, yeah. I went to the State Fair in mine. I was on the Fair Patrol for 2 fairs.
Can get exciting when you have about 100,000 people jammed into about 250 acres. And for a while, that beer tent was a brawl a night. They have managed to get that corraled in the last few years.
My wife does not like to go if it is going to be so hot; her health can't take the heat. My daughter and I usually go, and she is a cheap date. She wants to see the livestock exibits(she is an animal lover).
We avoid the midway like the plague- the rides are junk, and the games are a rip off.
"Free" concerts? Hardy har har; not in the grandstand. They do have several stages around the grounds where they do in fact have free concerts, tho. I've seen my share of those.
And the food. Wouldn't be the State Fair without a corn dog, and a funnel cake.

[Blonde Heat]

DMS 525, It sound like your state fair is really a glorified county fair. Its not so bad here. We did not have a great line of entertainment this year. Mostly Country stars. Last night was Alan Jackson. And the only other halfway decent ones would be Toby Keith, Lee Greenwood (for obvious reasons), Oakridge boys, Pointer sisters, Leann Rimes, Chely Wright, And various comedians, Bill Engvall, Carrot top. The crowds can be horendous and the prices highly inflated but the sounds and smells of all the food and rides are ok. Another favorite of mine are the cars that crash into each other in a arena. (Can't think of the real name) But they are pretty cool to watch.

[Mitzi]

Oh, I love our State Fair. In fact, I just now came home from entering a lot of my drawings and other artwork in the arts and crafts show. The Fair starts Wednesday...I can hardly wait! I love the free shows too but I'll have to check to see who is here this year.
My husband likes the animal exhibit and we always go in the Haunted House! This is my favorite time of yar!

[koenig]

The fair I used to go to PNE (same as a state fair)had daily K9 demos by Vancouver PD, My favorite part since I was about 8 years old. I got into dogs because of those demos....


Koenig

[tcsd1236]

I go every year. No particular favorite part.

[DMS 525]

It's more than just a glorified county fair; it happens to be one of the top rated state fairs in the country. And, they have the top billed stars doing shows in the grandstand. People come in from all over the country to attend the Iowa State Fair.
Sure, there are a lot of livestock and farm equipment exhibits, but what would you expect in this state?

I forgot to mention in my last post that my wife's favorite thing to see(as well as my daughter) is the crafts building. Lots of interesting things to see; my wife especially is impressed with the miniature doll houses they have a contest for, and the huge sand sculpture they always make right in the middle of that building.

It sickens me that everything has to be so damned overpriced, but we have found we can go and have a good time without spending a huge wad of money.

We always have to walk through the Varied Industries building, see what these people have to offer, and walk out with a huge bag of free goodies they give away(pens, pencils, cups, calanders, etc.). I always have to see the Hall of Law, where various law enforcement agencies from around the state have exhibits set up. One in particilar is the crime scene the State Department of Crimminal Investigation has set up. You get to see if you can figure it out, based on evidence presented. I usually solve it.

[Blonde Heat]

Now that sound awesome.(crime scene investigation) We have nothing like that. I think ours is just a moneymaker and a job for the homeless people once a year.

[grum]

We don't really have a state fair in Ontario, but we do have the Royal Winter Fair in November. I usually go down to show cattle and used to enter the university livestock and crops judging competition.

Lots of fun!

[wonderwoman]

A lot of towns around have Fall Fairs. They are a lot of fun! I haven't been in a long time....Think I'll put it on my list of things to do since it is now fall!!

[Evan]

Think I have been to our State Fair maybe ONCE! It was not that memoralbe of an occasion. Basically a larger county fair and 4-H shows, but with carnival rides, and the always present overpriced concessions. However, nothing BEATS the "Grand Daddy" of em all, Cheyenne Frontier Days. Can't wait to get back to the lower 48 for CFD.

[XMotorjock]

Dang, for a minute there, I thought DMS525 was talking about the Texas State Fair! Same deal, all sorts of exhibits, new car pavilion, cheesy midway, and he's AB-so-lutely right, it ain't the Fair without a Fletcher's corny dawg & a funnel cake! Man, I miss it

[Mitzi]

I just went to ours....I won two first place ribbons for some of my artwork! Yay me!

[jellybean40]

Originally posted by Mitzi:
I just went to ours....I won two first place ribbons for some of my artwork! Yay me!

Congratulations!
I like our county fairs, and harvest festivals, and Christmas activities. at Christmas they have towns that open their old, historic homes for a tour, and everything is lit by candlelite.

The state fair is usually too far away. In October there is a "Sheep Festival" nearby at the fair grounds, where all the kids show their sheep and have different kinds of contests. i went one year and thought that was really cool.