The first thing to mention is that we were not some of the deadly cases who got E Coli from the fair food, which really is amazing since we practically ate throughout the entire fair!!! Apparently there have been 25plus cases reported, and a few deaths from the fair food.
However, we LOVED munching on everything from classic favorites like corn dogs, snow cones and cotton candy to new adventures "gater on a stick" (Bill's dream come true....) and fudge made from the Amish people (Charise's absolute heaven!!!)
Anyone who knows us well would know that we LOVE a fair. We never missed the fair in Orange county, and we were so excited to go the week before we moved away. Imagine our surprise to find out that the NORTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR was the second month we moved here. We have county fairs in California. Here in the South there are state fairs. Kind of the same thing, but with a VERY SOUTHERN TWIST.There was almost no shopping. I know!!! Carrie Collins and I have spent SO MANY HOURS shopping the fair together. Carrie, I really don't know that you would have loved this fair. Where were all the demo products booths? All the rows and rows of fabulous things you can only seem to buy at the fair? (Steve's miracle sponge, our fantastic pots and pans, plumaria trees, mat and frame cutting systems, car organizers, tortilla warmers, hand carved wooden name frames, hawaiian matching family outfits, scrapbook tools you can't find anywhere else.) What does it say about Bill and I that we lovingly remember buying each of these items and think fondly of the fair every time we use any of them.
There was however TONS of Dairy/Cow/Farming demonstrations and booths and exhibits. Like TONS of them!
It was very new and different to have the fair in the fall. Instead of our normal patriotic USA outfits we wear every year to the fair, we got to dress in Halloween colors. Instead of sweating in the heat, we were very crisp and chilly. It was such a fun adventure!
They did not have any community groups performing. No stages at all. No hypnotist, no Chineese acrobats, no grunge bands. It was all just very different. Not bad different, just different.
They had SO MANY free sample of foods. For example, hushpuppies, soda taste tests, candy samples, sausages, dips, hushpuppies, salsa's, cheeses, jerky, and so much more. You could sample throughout the fair! (Did I mention free hushpuppies everywhere you went? Yum-EE!)
We always bring the wagon, tricked out with everything we will need for the day. I think for us, the fair is like what most people feel when they go to Disneyland. We prep for it. We save for it. We make it a HUGE event in our lives.
Our family tradition is that at the end of the day, before we go home, each of the kids get to choose one ride to go on. This is our incentive for them to be on their best behavior all day. It seriously works so well! Any time we sense a meltdown coming on, we redirect them by pointing to some of the rides (You can see them from every spot on the fairgrounds.) and talk about which ride they will choose at the end of the day.
This time both boys wanted to ride the log flume. It was crazy cold, but they both thought it looked wonderful! Brighton was kind of undecided throughout the day, but Cole said the water boat roller coaster when we caw it from the car before we even parked, and nothing could change his mind. All day as we would go past new rides we would ask him if he wanted this instead of the log flume, but nope... he insisted that the water boat roller coaster was the ride of his dreams. In the end I think his persistence made Bright realize it must be the best if Cole was so determined to ride it.
Here is Cole telling daddy how it felt!
We love the fair. Simply. Love. the. Fair.
