Last weekend saw the end to the three week State Fair in our town. I live six blocks away, and in that three week time period all semblances of normal life cease. Streets are clogged with exhausted families trying desperately to have fun, but really just getting hot, dusty and grumpy.
Anyone with space in their front yard parks cars for money. Being six blocks away, we can only eek out a paltry $5 per car…but I can shove 11 cars in my lawn and driveway. It pays for us to go to the fair. The ridiculously expensive monstrosity that it is.
And I love it. I love the rides, the animal barns, the barking sales people selling Sham Wow!’s, air-brushed T-shirts and green lipstick.
Maya had a social studies project that asked her to pick a location and do a photo essay on “Human Interaction with the Environment”. She picked the fair. She packed up her camera and off we went to discover it anew through the lens of a seventh grade sociologist. She got some amazing shots.
I love this one. It shows the supply/demand of parking. The removable numbers will go anywhere from $5 to $20, depending on the crowds.

And this sign, with its blatant direction and lack of patience….

The Extreme Scream ride is the center point of the fair. You pay $15 to be taken up 20 stories and dropped into a freefall only to be sucked up again and dropped a few more times.

The Midway is just filled with gut-busting wonders.

This is Sophie’s favorite….the Skydiver.

And Maya’s favorite (and mine)…the giant swings!

We did not use the “People Mover” that is mentioned in the picture below. Our feet were ready to fall off by the end of the day.

I can’t wait until next year!!!