I swear I've told Erin about this fair that I visited almost annually, throughout my childhood. I think she's under the impression I've been holding out on her, but I swear! I haven't! This year the stars aligned and all fifty of us made it to the Oregon State Fair and, well I think it's fair (HA!) to say that a great time was had by all.
You can't argue with rainbows AND unicorns. Ellie was in her element.
Erin and Ellie rode the bumper cars. Leo and I (and the babies) were content on terra firma.
After Leo had his face painted (Spiderman, natch) we moved onto the rides. He really wanted the pink
bike.
Ellie won that war. (Mostly Leo just really wanted to ride next to Ellie. True story.)
We made some new friends (can't visit Oregon without a hug from Smokey!)
In between all these shots, we visited with the cows, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits...you get the idea. We watched people stand in line for a loooong time to hold a baby lion, surveyed the collections (one of my favorite exhibits) which this year included a cereal box collection. Leo and Ellie loved looking at the cakes entered in the cake decorating contest. Leo and Ellie donned fire fighter garb and held fire hoses. In short, small minds were blown at nearly every turn. This fair? It's a kid's dream. And as a bonus? I had just as much fun as a grown-up as I remember having as a kid.
I can't remember the last time I went to this fair--I guess I must have been a teenager. I am here to tell you it has not changed AT ALL, which, in our times (geez, how old am I?) is saying a lot. You laugh, but this state fair is the epitome of good ole family fun. Funnel cakes and snow cones, jumpy houses and skee ball, miniature horses and long haired guinea pigs. I've tried to replicate this experience at other fairs and festivals in other states and I've yet to do so. Every fair I'll ever go to will get compared to this one. It just feels so comfortable and familiar. (I'll admit I was disappointed by this year's absence of deep fried pickles, but I soldiered on.)
And of course it was the source of one of my favorite pictures of all time (we were fortunate to have Grandma and Grandpa with us at the fair, too).
At the end of a very long (but long in a good way) day, we happened upon a playground built atop a mound of haystacks (only at the Oregon State Fair). The sandbox? Was made of corn kernels. Of course. This playground was serendipitously located not only right next to the beer garden (score!) but across from some more than decent live music. Leo and Ellie played for a good hour (the irony was not lost on me that one of their most favored things ended up being free!) against a backdrop of the setting sun, the sky a swirling palette of blues and pinks and purple. There was a marked chill in the air: autumn was on the way.
It felt so good to be "home."
