“Where City Meets Country” is the theme at our county fair. A county fair is a place to highlight the value of agriculture within and surrounding both urban and rural areas. For many Ohioans who grew up participating in a youth program like 4-H or FFA, the county fair might bring back a lot of memories. For those who have never visited the local county fair, it might seem like an old fashioned way to spend the day.
There are some old-fashioned pieces at the fair if you want to count the antique displays. In 1850 the first state fair in Ohio was held in Cincinnati and in 1896 the Ohio State Fair was the first fair in the country to use electric lights. Typical events from early fairs included exhibits about new agricultural techniques, livestock and produce judging and contests like bicycle or horse races. Many of those events continue today with the addition of other timely, modern topics. From the early beginnings of focusing exclusively on agriculture, fairs have evolved to include entertainment, rides and a variety of educational topics for urban and rural interest.
Today, the local county fair celebrates the work, products and dedication of numerous youth and adult volunteers. Individuals of all ages can enter their work for display and competition in a variety of areas. From a Family and Consumer Sciences perspective, what youth can go wrong presenting a project about money management or childcare or food and nutrition?
There are also opportunities for adults to showcase their work. If Pinterest is the virtual way to organize projects and ideas, then fair displays are a real life bulletin board! What are your Pinterest categories? Do you have any on food preservation, home decorating, vegetable gardening or “someday” projects? Across the state, county fair contest topics range from traditional to eccentric.
At a time when local food is such an important topic, the county fair is a local celebration. Whether you live in the city or the country, take a field trip to the Ohio State Fair or some county fairs. If you are already in the habit of attending your local fair, showcase your work. The Ohio State Fair in Columbus is scheduled for July 23 until August 3, 2014 and county fairs in Ohio(PDF) happen from summer through fall.
