What's not to like? Midway rides, animals to pet, fair food, animals to look at, carnival games, cotton candy, animals being judged (horses, cows, sheep), friends to meet, snowcones, animal droppings to avoid stepping in, antique tractors, giant snakes, fresh-squeezed lemonade, superannuated rock acts to listen to, science exhibits, prize-winning pumpkins, face painting, balloons, home-made pies -- I tell ya, it's heaven.
We started out in the cow barn. The Carp Fair is a true agricultural fair, and we started where the 4-H Club members were getting their Holstein heifers ready for competition.
The the girls were agitating to get to the rides, so off we went to the midway. We got about 20 metres, and I was brought to a standstill by a kettle corn stand. As I might have mentioned before, thanks to Jen, I'm addicted. I forked over some cash, and we walked on, stuffing our faces.
The girls went on many, many rides, including the Tilt-a-Whirl animal ride:
The bumper cars:
The Scrambler:
And then we decided to check out some other parts of the fair. We watched the judging of the Clydesdales in the heavy horse competition:
Then we went to the Family Tent for some shows. Here's Rachel up on stage with Mad Mike for the Mad Science show. She's helping with an experiment using air pressure:
Just in the corner of the tent was an electric cow that the kids could practice cow milking on. When you pull on the teats, water squirts into the bucket. With the amount of time they spent milking, they could have filled 17 buckets.
Then we saw the Little Ray's Reptile Zoo show on Giant Snakes of the World. This was a real hit with Leah whose career objectives have just changed from doctor/artist/author to reptile zoo owner/artist/author. Good luck with that. She was most enamoured with Moishe, a 12-foot, 170-pound African Rock Python and her handler Kevin (below). Leah spent a good 20 minutes petting the snake and asking Kevin questions, so he let Leah hold Moishe on her lap. Unfortunately I didn't get photos of that, but she was ecstatic and will never forget having the snake wrapped around her torso and in her lap.
We checked out the homecraft and gardening exhibits:
I am so entering my cinnamon buns next year. I think I can win a ribbon.
And finally, the petting zoo on the way out:
(Hee. check out the lid on this duck -- E=MC2. *snicker*)
As the sun set, two very tired and cotton-candy/snowcone sticky girls and their mum took one last look at the midway and headed for home.
Only 363 more sleeps til the next Carp Fair.
That looks like so much fun.
ReplyDeleteDid the girls talk about "Babe" and "Charlotte's Web" when they saw the pigs?
I can't believe Leah was sitting so calmly next to that snake! I get the chills just thinking about it.
I think Rae mentioned Charlotte's Web when we saw the piggies. And you should have seen Leah's huge smile when she sat on the ground with that snake wrapped twice around her torso and resting on her lap. (Although pythons are constrictors, they don't see humans as prey. It wasn't squeezing her at all.) Around our house it's spiders that send us running. Snakes are OK
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, "Cinnamon Buns" was Al's nickname in college.
ReplyDeleteSuch a cool day, I don't know if we have stuff like that here, I know we have agricultural shows but I don't think they have the other stuff too.
ReplyDeleteBill - too bad there isn't a fair entry class for 'really bad humour". But I giggled anyway.
ReplyDeleteJen (Guider) - Each of the small towns in the area have a fair this time of year. The midway and carnival games just travel from one to the next, as they are on different weekends.
One thing I'd like to see is sheepdog trials. They aren't part of our fair, as this is more dairy cow country than sheep-raising country.
I love small town fairs! I still go back to the one in my hometown every year. It looks suspicously like yours....
ReplyDeleteThe snake? Seriously, does Leah have no fear?
Whoa! What a good time. I'm so there next year.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like an awesome fair! So much nicer than our county fair, that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteJosie - when it comes to snakes, she has no fear. Earwigs are another matter entirely.
ReplyDeleteXUP - Come on out! It's a blast.
Alissa - We can't wait to go each year. I bet your state fair is amazing -- isn't that where you won the photography prize for the milkweed seed picture?