In the summer of 2006, when we first moved to Fredericksburg, TX, I was so excited when I heard there is a County Fair here! I started seeing signs and preparation for the 'longest running fair in Texas'. Businesses and schools take Friday off, or reduced hours, in order to enjoy the parade that morning. You see I grew up in a small county in the Sierra foothills of California where there is a county fair to beat ALL fairs! I remember fondly helping my Dad set up his business booth in the commercial building each year. It was also a 4 day fair in a small rural area, but people traveled from all over California to attend that particular fair. Every event was great - beginning with the beauty pageant (I was runner up in the summer of 1974- sponsored by the Lion's Club) - imagine my excitement as one of the 'fair princesses' and being allowed to sit in the rodeo announcer booth then present the cowboys with their buckles and prizes after events - woowee!! I loved the dances and as a child being able to stay up late on fair nights. In my teens, though I wasn't a livestock gal, my best friends were 4H and FFA members so I often got to sleep over in the livestock barns with them as they stayed with their animals. Wandering the fair grounds all night while it was closed was like a wonderland! I also remember one of my friends crying as she sold her first steer at 4H auction, and vowing never to name her animals again. There was a lumberjack competition with two man sawing, ax chopping, log rolling and more (it was logging country of course!) The Saturday night bull riding was always my favorite- I love rodeo. I never could quite figure out the destruction derby though - all those men driving around crazy in the arena trying to crash!! Loud and fun, the destruction derby wound down the fair weekend.
I started entering things in the fair at an early age (9) - from baked goods to crochet, sewn garments and even flower arranging. I loved taking those items in and going back to see if a ribbon was attached. I continued that all through high school and only had a break in fair entries during my 25 years in Del Rio, where there was no fair. I even entered fair items when I was stationed in Alaska. I was amazed at the 62 lb cabbage I saw there! I was so excited when we moved here to learn there was a County Fair. As soon as the booklets came out I was planning what to enter that first August. I was in the middle of major renovation of the house we had purchased, I was adjusting to a new job and Waylon was still in Del Rio finishing out the year of work and selling our home there. I planned to spend all my time that weekend at the fair and enjoy every moment of it. In my mind I was back at the beautifully manicured grounds in Plymouth, CA at the Amador County Fair. Acres of property, beautiful flowers, trees, and a lovely pond in the middle of the exhibit halls. Sitting on the grassy hill by the tractor exhibit, listening to the putt-putt of the John Deeres. Dance pavilion, livestock barns, Western town complete with OK Corral shootouts - oh the memories!
As Thursday approached I had my entries ready to take to the fair grounds. I really hadn't gone by there, even though it is fairly close to town. As I pulled up on that very hot, dusty day in August of 2006, my heart sank. All I saw were a few buildings, a barren patch of dried grass, the carnival and a few concession stands. Where were all the buildings?! Where were the extensive grounds to explore over the next 4 days? My childhood memories were just that - memories. Yet all around me I saw excitement, preparation for the beauty pageant, talent show and more. For the residents of Gillespie County this is what they had waited for - THEIR county fair! Now I am a resident of Gillespie County. This will be the 11th summer I have entered items in the fair. I take my granddaughters to the carnival, I walk through the livestock exhibits and see the pride on children's faces at recognition for their hard work, and I work as a teller at the horse races. Is it the experience of my childhood and that wonderful 'step back in time' county fair in the mountains in Plymouth, CA? No. But I see wonder and excitement on the faces of children, I see parents excited to share their childhood memories at the fair with their own children. I hear laughter, music and the smell of funnel cake that calls to me.
My memories of the Amador County Fair will never dim. Now I'm making new ones. They are different, but that same thrill still wells up inside of me when I go look to see if my entry has a ribbon attached. The same excitement bubbles up when the fair parade travels down Main St. and children are waving and adults are laughing and enjoying time together. The Gillespie County Fair is now my fair too - I may still be an auslander to some, but this gal is making new memories and I will treasure them as much as the ones of childhood.
We all have the opportunity to make things special. It isn't so much the buildings, grounds, and events - it is the look on the faces of the ladies as they smile when you lay your item down to be judged. It is the sound of relaxation and laughter as people wander through the exhibits and say "oh look, Joe won a ribbon for his tomatoes". It is sleepy children, with sticky cotton candy faces that will dream of their night at the fair. It's about family. Go make memories. They may not be as you remember, but they will certainly be special because you share them with those you love.
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