Memories of the fair

My Side

By Connie Warden
Posted 8/4/21

County fairs have always been the opportunity for catching up with old friends and neighbors — some you see regularly and some who you haven’t seen for a while. I grew up outside of Cuba …

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Memories of the fair

My Side

Posted

County fairs have always been the opportunity for catching up with old friends and neighbors — some you see regularly and some who you haven’t seen for a while. I grew up outside of Cuba on a farm, and so each mid-August, my family attended the Crawford County Fair.
I was reminded of those early fair-going days this past week as Dennis and I were catching up with a woman we saw at the Gasconade County Fair. She has three small children who didn’t enjoy our little visit. They were rather tired, hot, and itchy from going through the Farm Bureau’s straw maze in the children’s area of the Gasconade County Fair.
This exchange with the young mom reminded me of my fair-going days as a child. I remember thinking my legs were going to fall off due to the incredibly long time that my little sister and I had to stand and listen to mom and dad visit with their friends while at the fair. I couldn’t wait to get to my favorite ride — the Scrambler — and get some cotton candy.
We would park at the shoe factory in Cuba and walk to the fairgrounds. The excitement would build hearing all the sounds associated with the fair as we got closer to the action. Then after an evening of fun, and exhaustion of listening to adult conversation, we would walk back to our car.
There was always a huge searchlight that would be fanning across the night sky — a beacon inviting everyone around to come check out the action. Sometimes I would fall asleep on the 15-minute car ride home, so dad would have to carry me into the house.
The Gasconade County Fair drew to a close Saturday night, but not before Dennis and I enjoyed a couple carnival rides.
He chose the Ferris Wheel — which I agreed to but honestly was a little hesitant due to the height — and I decided on the Scrambler. He took some pretty cool pictures from atop the Ferris Wheel and I enjoyed some of the sights (when my eyes were not closed).
The Scrambler didn’t disappoint — although the selfie I took of us during the ride definitely shows that I was having more fun.