Going to the Fair

The Madera District Fair is right around the corner for us, and it is an exciting time for many in this community. There is a boatload of entertainment for the whole family, and the entry into this time of fun and pleasure comes at a pretty low cost. (Of course, depending on what you purchase at the fair, your day could be a substantial set-back of funds.) All in all, there is potential for a great day. I am hoping and praying that Mr. Weather gives us a temperature that is tolerable to all of us.

I remember going to the fair as a child, as a teenager, and as an adult. I have always enjoyed going to the fair. The lights, the sounds, and the smells of the fair always take me back to some very memorable times of my childhood and youth. I have some memories that particularly stick out in my mind.

In the community where I lived as a child, we did not have a fair in our town. I did live in the county seat, but the nearest fair was about 30 miles away. Our community had a Halloween carnival every year, and that event was always exciting for us. It was such fun! It was much like a fair, but there were no big rides. We did have a few kiddie rides, and that was all I could do at that time, anyway.

When I was a teenager, I lived in Atlanta, and we had the Southeastern Fair. Sometimes my mother would go to the fair with us, but mostly I remember going to the fair with my best friend, Janet. We would get on those rides and have so much fun! I remember one time, we were on one of those Ferris wheel-type rides in which the cars went upside down with the wheel, so on one side the people were right side up, and on the other side of the wheel the people were upside down. The wheel stopped for a while, and Janet and I were upside down. Suddenly, coins from someone’s pocket came raining down on us. It was so funny. We gathered up what we could, but most of the change went to the ground.

I have always loved the rides at the fair. I liked the scary ones, but I don’t like to ride on them by myself. There was one ride I particularly liked, and it was called “The Zipper.” I don’t know if that ride still exists, because I don’t get on rides much anymore. The Zipper was oblong shaped, and cars went around the long beam, and each car also spun around. It was great fun! My husband is not much of a fair-goer, and he really does not like the rides, so this is the reason I haven’t been on the rides for many years. About 15 years ago, we were at the fair with his sister, Debbie. She also likes the rides. Debbie and I went on “The Octopus,” which is another ride that spins around, and each car spins independently. It spins fast! While riding The Octopus, Debbie said to me, “If this thing gives way, we will be in Fresno.” That would have been true.

When Debbie’s son, Matthew, was small, he and I liked to go to the fair together. The Madera Fair is within walking distance from my house, and he thought that was really cool. At the fair, we liked to play a game that I do not believe is at the fair anymore. It had boxes with prizes and coins, and you would put coins or tokens into the slot and there was a handle thing that would push the prizes and coins forward. If you got your coin in there just right, you could get a bunch of stuff shoved into the bin that comes out to the player. We could play that game for hours. When Matthew’s parents went to the fair with us, they kind of “cramped our style.” They just couldn’t understand why we had such fun at that game.

I will be at the fair this year, as The Madera Tribune will have a booth. Look for us in Hatfield Hall. I plan to have a bunch of fun. See you there.

— My love to all,

Nancy

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I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil — this is the gift of God.

— Ecclesiastes 3:12-13