State Of A-Fairs

The Oregon State Fair bridges the gap between those lazy, sweltering August days and the crisp, chilly September ones. Over the past decade, it has become one of the yearly events I most look forward to. (Others being pumpkin patch visits in October and holiday bazaar excursions in November-December. Yes, I lead a thrilling life.) 

Most years, I go to the Fair with a friend. Sometimes I'll go twice during the season. I've been trying to remember who I've gone with in recent years. Looking back at photos, it looks like it was: 

2015 - Esther (friend)

2014 - Miriam (cousinette)

2013 - Esther / Mom (2 visits)

2012 - Esther

2011 - Lexi (my "little sister") / Stephen (friend) (2 visits)

2010 - Lexi

2009 - GG (friend) & Family 

2008 - GG & Family

2007 - Didn't go?

2006 - Mom, Amy & + Storey Family (relatives)

This year, I went completely solo.

 Wednesday, August 31: My main reason for going that day was to see the Jeremy Camp / MercyMe concert in the evening.

Fairgoing isn't always cheap, but I managed to spend a grand total of $21. 

Amazing, right? $5 for parking, $8 admission, $3.50 for root beer, $3.50 for a pretzel, and $1.00 in petting zoo-animal food.

Man, I love those animals.

I spent about an hour in the art gallery. No photos allowed in there. I understand, but it's annoying. There was a whole section with calligraphy projects from David Douglas students. I recognized two of my former students' names & work. I had them back in Kindergarten & second grade. One, I believe, just graduated. (Excuse me while I go feel old.)

In the Creative Living building, there was a pretty good showing of LEGO creations, mostly by kids. 

This was my favorite setup...

Out on the fairgrounds, I wanted some good fair food, but I kept running into the same three options:

1. Meat

2. Fried

3. Oddly Expensive

Which is why I finally just bought a pretzel. 

I checked out the rides, but didn't go on any...

I'm not sure what I think about temporary (read: collapsible) roller coasters.

Yeah, sure it is.

At 6:00, I walked toward the concert area. One of the radio stations had a prize wheel just outside the venue. I spun it and won myself a singular piece of candy! Then I went to find a seat. Fairgoers can sit in general seating for free. If you want to sit up close, you have to buy a special ticket.

I did not buy a special ticket, but I got to sit in the 9th row anyway, thanks to a nice lady who had an extra ticket! She just walked up to me and asked if I wanted it. Sweet!

And the concert--

was amazing!!

At its conclusion (sadface) I walked around the fair a bit more...

And finally, after a great afternoon and evening, with my heart full and happy, I headed for home.

Say, who wants to go to the Fair with me next year?

All's Fair...

I just love the Oregon State Fair.

You know I do.

If you happen to make it out there this weekend (it runs through Monday 9/2), be sure to visit the petting zoo and snuggle with, and or/feed, a llama, goat, sheep, deer or wallaby.

I SAID WALLABY

Or a baby goat.

 You can thank me later, if you don't die of Cuteness Overload first!

Also noteworthy:

Bird Show (OWLS!)

Pavilion/Toy Museum

Lego Displays (though I may be biased)

Corn On The Cob

4H Displays

Dairy Ladies' Barn (best milk & ice cream around, and shady spots to eat nearby!)

I will leave you now with this adorbs video.

Fair Play

September 5, 2011.

It's the last day of the Oregon State Fair, which is apparently also "Cow Judging Day."  We can hear mooing from all the way out in the parking lot.  I wonder what the judges look for in a cow.  Bone structure?  Smiling with their eyes?  Did I just invent America's Next Top Cow Model?  Once, when I was a kid, I went to the county fair and played that carnie horse racing game and I won a stuffed cow. He was wearing overalls. It's the only time I ever won anything at those games, not counting the numerous ashtrays I procured from my stellar dime-throwing skillz.

Llamas, I think?  I went to this spinning wheel show once (and yes, I'm ninety-four. What?) and out back they had a barn with alpacas and goats and things, and I was talking to my little cousin about them and I called them llamas and the farmer guy there was like THEY'RE ALPACAS. And quite frankly I didn't care.  Just like I don't care if Koalas are or are not bears or what camels are called when they have one hump, not two.  But whatever these things are, aren't they cute? They're like big ol' poodles. I want one.

Mmmm.  To quote one Mr. Garfield the Cat: "Candy candy candy candy candy!" I especially covet the giant gummy bears.  Every time I go into a candy store and see one of those, I think I would love that. I'm going to get me one of those one of these days.  And really, they're only about $5 so it's not like it'd be this crazy purchase.  But something always stops me.  Maybe because when they're that size, biting off their heads (the integral part of consuming gummy bears) seems like it would be difficult. And I abhor difficulty, especially with candy. Which is why I've stopped eating Fun Dips. I'm sorry, but they simply take more than they give.

"Crazy Animal Races."  I've seen Pig Racing before, but not this.  This has goats and sheep and all manner of fowl.  They're lined up at the starting gate and then sent forth around the track while the audience cheers.  At the end, they get food.  Meanwhile, four kids in the audience get to be cheerleaders.  Whichever animal wins, the kid from that cheering section wins a small checkered flag.  After the show (which is actually quite adorable and hilarious) the announcer tells us that anyone can get their own checkered flag at the nearby concession stand for two dollars.  Gosh!

Then again, $2 sounds like chump change when you consider the price of being flung in the air on this fun contraption.  $30 will get you up there for a minute.  It's $50 if a couple wants to go together.  $20 grants you video footage.  I get that this thing must have to have insurance up the wazoo, not to mention pay somebody to run it, but it all still seems a wee bit crazy.  Much like the people who choose to ride it. 

Now this is more like it.  For $8 you can get zipped inside a big plastic bubble (like a hamster!) and walk around on the water (like Jesus!)  This is what I love about the fair.  Stuff like this.  Crazy new things you can try.  It makes the discontinuation of World's Fairs in my country a little easier to bear.

Now here's a ride I can totally get behind.  Har har, literally, amirite?  But serious, the chair lift thing is great.  You get to ride over the entire fair, thirty feet up.  You get to see everything.  Like... the tops of tents.  And... the tops of people's heads.  Not to mention the stuff behind the tents.  And after seeing some of the goings-on behind the food vendors' tents, well... it really makes your appetite waver.

UNLESS...

 Yes, there's always an exception. I have some great, unbridled love for the giant baked potato.  Some fairgoers go for the corn dog, others the massive turkey leg, still others the old familiar sno-cone.  But I seek out the potato grande, and always will. I don't care if those potatoes are fed hormones to help give them their impressive girth.  I don't care that for the price of one potato I could go to the store and buy a whole sack of the things.  Nope.  I don't care.

Oh hey, yet another ride you won't get me on. I realize this is ten times tamer than the catapultchacallit, but still. No.

Well, it's about time to go. How about one last look at the animals? Here are some... uh...

 ... some goats? Mutant kangaroos?  Sigh.  Animal identification has never been my strong suit. 

That's better!  Those are goats.  Totally.  I mean... 

yeah, I don't even know anymore.  

I'm going home.

Until next year...

If You Build It... (aka Lego Projects: "Made In Oregon" (2010))

I built a Lego thing for the state fair.  I called it "Made In Oregon."  AND IT WON THIRD PLACE!

Well, it won third place in the "Original design, LEGO bricks only - adults - over 5 years experience" Lego category.  There are about eight categories, I should mention that.  It wasn't, like, the third best Lego design of ALL or anything.

Okay, it was.  Actually it was the ultimate awesomest for realz!

Listen to me, acting like a proud beauty pageant mommy!

The thing was, that was not easy to build!  I have ultimate respect for Lego builders, now, because wow... I mean, Lego bricks are great, but if you press too hard, your whole structure can go kablooey in a hurry, and then you have to start all over and... yeah, it's totally an exercise in patience.  This took me more than a week to build.

More photos...

Also, two of my scrapbook pages won ribbons!  This was my first year entering anything in the fair.  (I almost did last year, but then the date for delivering your entries coincided with my trip to Nebraska, so it didn't happen.)

My Little Sister and I are already talking about what we will make to enter next year.  Decorated cakes, perhaps, because with cakes you can eat your mistakes!  (Okay, what is UP with me and the dorky rhyming?)

The Oregon State Fair runs through September 6th!