Country fairs have long been a staple of American life, with many books and movies centered around them. Especially those with the added attraction of carnival rides and games, they are often portrayed in equal measure entertaining, delightful, exciting…and creepy. Places where young people try out their flirting and flaunting skills and one’s nerve is tested with the promise of whirl-a-wind rides and “fun” houses sporting their distorting mirrors and dead-end corners— with a few “gotcha” jump-worthy surprises thrown into the garish mix
Our own recent fair, the annual Chowan County Regional Fair, had something for everyone. A barnful of clucking, crowing prize chickens of all kinds, pig races, pony rides—contests of every ilk from canned vegetables, to table settings, to knitted blankets, to cotton stalks, to photography, to pies, to houseplants, to pumpkins…the list goes on. A veritable kaleidoscope of lovingly produced items by proud locals. (Including your intrepid author, who won a blue ribbon for her photographic entry!)
The earthy smell of farm animals mingled with the tantalizing aroma of fair food in a heady mix that only exists in the rarified air of country fairs. My husband procured a heavily-ladened Philly cheese steak sandwich while I enjoyed a bowl of chili, sharing an order of crispy fries between us. We polished it off with mounds of warm, fluffy mini donuts—his sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and, mine, drizzled with chocolate syrup. Manna from heaven!
As dusk descended—along with lowering gray clouds from the imminent arrival of rough weather creeping up the coast via Hurricane Ian—the glittering lights of the carnival fairway rides and games blazed with frenetic excitement. I must admit, with that ominous sky as a backdrop, the spookier side of fair atmosphere began to seep into my imagination. There’s something about the mix of fantasy and reality, the invitation to suspend disbelief as we board a ”flying saucer,” or climb onto the back of a Chinese dragon, that sets us just a bit off kilter, as though the earth shifts beneath our feet, like the dizziness we feel after riding the swirling swings or the mad teacups.
I experienced that feeling, not from this year’s first-hand experience, but from my past (but not-too-distant-past) encounters with such crazy mechanical joy rides. This time, I was content to watch the bodies being flung upside down, their feet pointing skyward, and to listen to the high-pitched screams (some decidedly pitched down in the tenor range of manhood) that echoed around us. That delicious prickle of danger was definitely in the air!
As early Fall is officially—well, in my world anyway—the beginning of both cozy season and spooky season, a visit to a country fair is just the ticket to get into the spirit of it all. Check around and find one to visit. It’s bound to raise a few goosebumps, so be sure to take along a sweater, your nerve, and your imagination.
Here (in no particular order) is a list of books and movies with some of their memorable quotes in which to immerse yourself in the fair/carnival experience—from folksy and fun to weird but wonderful—just like their real-life inspirations:
—State Fair: book by Phil Stong – musical movie versions – 1933, 1945, and 1962 (“I’ve got that nice, tired old feeling.”)
—Charlotte’s Web: children’s book by E. B. White – movie version – 2006 (“SOME PIG”)
—Something Wicked This Way Comes: book by Rad Bradbury -movie version- 1983 (“Three o’clock. They call it the soul’s midnight.”)
—Big Fish: book by Daniel Wallace, movie version – 2003 (“The ending is always a surprise.”)
—Water for Elephants: book by Sara Gruen, movie version- 2011 (“Life is the most spectacular show on earth.”)
—The Night Circus: book by Erin Morgenstern (“Like stepping into a fairy tale under a curtain of stars.”)
—Stardust: book by Neil Gaiman, movie version- 2007 (“Anyone who believes what a cat tells him deserves all he gets.”)
— Joyland: book by Stephen King (“In the years since, I’ve discovered there’s a lot to be said for boredom.”)
—The Museum of Extraordinary Things: book by Alice Hoffman “When a star reaches for you, it is difficult to look away.”)
Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by. Y’all come back, now. “FAIR” thee well, and Happy Halloween!
Kate (who suspended disbelief long ago)
*All photos by the author, Kathryn Louise Wood (except for the photo of her with her Blue Ribbon photograph which was taken by her loving husband, Bill Ahearn)*
Wonderful and very descriptive I felt like I was actually there, I could definitely taste the donuts
So happy you enjoyed your vicarious visit to the fair, Susan!
(And glad you could “taste” those luscious donuts!)