County Fair Traditions

I love our local County 4-H Fair. I really do, I was in 4-H growing up in Connecticut (The Scantic Valley Riders) and loved our Hartford County Fair and the Big E Exposition in the fall. So it's safe to say I've been going to a county fair every year for 35 years. It's not summer without the fair.

It is four days of a vacation and one big celebration with lots to see, people to visit, food to eat, and a people watching extravaganza.

The Cass County 4-H Fair in Weeping Water Nebraska puts on one of the best county fairs in the state of Nebraska. It is actually the only totally free fair in the state. That means everything (except food) is free, admission is free, parking is free, the stage shows are free, the demolition derby is free, the tractor pulls are free, EVERYTHING is free!

Every year there is something more to see, another event I learn to love and just not enough time to do everything. This year we added the Barbeque People Choice contest and the Figure 8 Races at the tractor pit.

I love every day of it from the hog show, the open class building and the barrel racing. I've seen kids grow up at the fair and now I'm watching the kids of kids now showing in the livestock classes.

So take a trip to the county fair with me, I'll show you around, tell you a little about what to expect if you haven't been before and if you're from the country maybe a trip down memory lane. (All the photos are mine that I've taken over the years)

4-H has something for everyone, it's not just about animals and livestock. Kids who enjoy science, engineering, woodworking, and electronics can enter projects at the county level. If their project receives a blue ribbon it is eligible to advance to the State Fair.

Below are some books for kids to get ideas for 4-H projects. A popular category in 4-H is baking and the cupcake division gets very creative and fun. 4-H is a fun activity for parents and kids to do together. 4-H builds strong families and is a tradition in many areas of the country.

I Won Best of Show in the Photography Division

I don't enter a lot of items in the open class division anymore, I just don't have the time I used to have when I was a stay at home Mom. (I used to enter crafts, flowers, herbs, and vegetables) But I still enter the photography contest every year.

This year I won Grand Champion photo, in years pasts I've won lots of purple ribbons for Best in Class, but it's been a very long time since I won Grand Champion. I think it was when I was still shooting film, so it's been about ten years.

I seriously was shocked I won with this photo, I won a total of three purple ribbons for Best in Class and the judge chooses the Grand Champion from the purple ribbons.

After giving it some thought this image was technically better than the others with the correct exposure, and tack sharp focus from corner to corner. It probably also represented the abstract and patterns category better than the other entries.

Ever since digital photography has become really popular the entries in the open class have exploded. They normally have over 300 entries. My daughter won Grand Champion Photography last year with her photo of the Bow Bridge from Central Park.

I have food traditions at the county fair. On Saturday night as I head out to my car I stop at the Midway and buy a caramel apple from the food booth.

The combination of the sweet caramel and tangy green apple is a delicious treat I crave every year and makes the ending of the fair a sweet and fulfilling experience.

If you can't get your fill of candy or caramel apples at the fair you can make them at home. County and state fairs are normally at the end of the summer and fall is just around the corner. That means apple season and fall festivals. A perfect time to dip some apples in caramel and have a treat for a neighborhood party.

What do you get when you spin sugar into a cloud? Cotton Candy of course. When I would bring my children to "Kids Day" at the fair (where you can ride all you want for $10) the one treat of the afternoon was cotton candy.

We would pull off big chunks and let it dissolve in your mouth and tickle your tongue. With a cotton candy kit you can now make cotton candy at home and it can even be sugar free. Just how do they do that anyway. Doesn't sugar free cotton candy defeat the purpose?

I love funnel cakes, and my Friday night tradition when before I leave to go home is to buy a funnel cake on the Midway. It has to have powdered sugar, I don't get into the other funnel cake toppings such as cinnamon, jelly, or chocolate drizzle. Powdered sugar is decadent and half the fun is getting it all over.

Have your own taste of the county fair at home.

A few years ago the Cass County Fair added another a video contest to and offered prize money for the top video created that best represented the experience of the County Fair. Below are just a few of the videos.

So take some time, and visit the best county fair in Nebraska. We love it, hope you do to, and if you're in the area stop by, there is plenty to do, plenty to eat, and plenty to see.

Have you been to a county, or state fair? If so what do you like most about a country fair? Is it a tradition in your family. Around here it's the social event of the year. It's the place to see everyone and be seen. We wouldn't miss it.

If you like what you read, let me know.