Pleasant Fair

[Harv]

It's too bad that county fairs have taken some bad press here lately. By sheer coincidence I took a break from working at Mom's place to drive my family to the nearby Amador County Fair in beautiful downtown Plymouth Friday night. I've mostly been to the state fair and some of the larger county fairs in the SF Bay Area, so it was a real pleasant change of pace to drop in on a relatively small country-style fair like this one.

As soon as we got there, I immediately found where I wanted to spend my time -- the tractor exhibits and the tractor and truck pull. My joy was short-lived, though, as I was out-voted by my wife and kids. Not that I don't love merry-go-rounds and such, but... /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

I've attached some picts that I was able to take just for this board (TBN gets in your blood, don't it?). The background picture was taken from the top of the ferris wheel, but the rest are much more on topic. Anybody have any of these puppies in their backyard? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Boondox]

I'm with you, Harv. The smaller fairs are often more fun. The Wife and I recently attended Lamoille County Field Days here in northern Vermont. Too small for the antique tractors, though a couple of dealers had a nice spread of compacts for sale.

It's the skill demos (chainsawing competition, oxen pulls) and the livestock that really interest me. Of course the Wife wants every pygmy goat and piglet she sees!

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[DFB]

Ditto on the small fairs. Lots of fun. What I find intriguing are oxen. An awesome beast in size and strength. Kinda like a 4 legged compact tractor. No FEL though. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

DFB

 

[treeboone]

Cool pictures Harv, thank you. I am distressed but not surprised to hear about fairs getting bad press in Calif. It seems like most things I consider American and Apple pie are fair game for whatever the disease is that has infected my home state. I have fond memories as a kid in the 60s of the Fair in Fresno and the Salinas Rodeo. I remember going to San Diego at the age of 5 and standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier. Someone told me that naval base belongs to the Chinese now. I must be getting old, that stuff really bothers me. Anyway thanks for the pics. I'm glad you got to spend some time with your family, you might have missed the tractor pulls, but you became a part of your kids memories that they will cherish all their lives.

 

[RobS]

I took my boys to the county fair in the county we'll be moving to. It was a hoot. Lots of animals, a few tractors and a small collection of rides. They got to help make some rope in a pioneer display and it just started raining as we got to the rides (darn /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif)

It was a lot more "personable" than the state fairs I've been to lately, though they are still fun /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[bpence]

Cool stuff.

Small fairs are the best. Anyone in Michigan - try the Armada Fair in Armada, MI for a great taste of a small country fair in today's hustle/bustle world. It's a good one with horse pulling, tractor pulling, a demolition derby, livestock barns and shows, cooking/baking/canning exhibits, and a midway to boot........nothing's held back. You can still buy livestock raised by a 4-H'r after the showings and ribbon awards at the auction. Doesn't get much better than that. It's usually right about this time in early August.

Bob Pence

 

[jinman]

Great pictures, Harv. Isn't CalExpo still the name of the state fair in Sacramento? I was there once in the late '70s and it was commercialized, but not too bad.

JimI

 

[glennmac]

Nice pics, as usual. That Case tractor in the upper left would certainly make the tire choice decision a lot easier.

 

[RobertN]

Harv,
Didn't go this year, but they do put on a fun little fair over there.

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[Pks]

The Chelsea Mich. fair is coming up in two weeks. They have tractor pulls for almost every size: from pedal to turbo diesel.

I luv the smell of diesel exhaust on a hot summer night...