It's that time of the year that everyone loves -- fair season! The smells of deep-fried Oreos and cheese curds fill your noses. The sound of children screaming on roller coasters and other rides fills your ears. There are so many different parts to a fair that it can be hard to decide what you like best. There is something for everyone at the fair, so here are my top five reasons why I love fair season.

1. The food

This is probably many people's favorite part of the fair. There are so many different delectable kinds of food to try at the fair and some that may not sound so delectable. Would you try deep-fried, chocolate-covered scorpions? Speaking of deep-fried, vendors seem to go by a mantra "it's already bad for you, why not deep fry it?" Ice cream, Oreos and Kool-Aid are only a few of the many foods vendors have decided to deep fry, and I am not complaining. They may be terrible for you, but I am willing to indulge once a year.

2. Rides

This is another popular aspect of the fair. I personally love anything that is fast and high up in the air. Rides that get my blood pumping are one of the many reasons I keep coming back to the fair. Whether you like the non-scary rides, such as the the teacups, or the ones for the more adventurous, such as the Kamikaze or the Zipper, fairs have something for everyone.

3. Concerts

Concerts may not be at every fair, but you do not want to miss them when they come to your local fair. There can be a wide variety of musicians who might play. For example, at my local fair, we have popular country artists such as Big & Rich as well as the rock 'n' roll band Hairball. There are also some great local acts that serve as openers for these musicians like Tigirlily and Blind Joe.

4. 4-H and livestock exhibits

Coming from a 4-H background, it is always nice to see younger kids putting in their time and effort on these projects. Walking around the barns and seeing all the projects reminds me of when I was in 4-H. The skills and memories I have learned from 4-H have been valuable to me, so I love seeing younger kids start to learn these skills as well.

5. Local shopping

Local vendors have so many interesting products to showcase. Jewelry, beauty products and hand-crafted items line the fairgrounds. You don't know what kind of finds you'll discover while perusing the shops. I find something different every year at the fair, and I fall in love with the shops each year. It is also great because you get to shop locally, which means you are supporting local businesses!

As you can see, there are many reasons why I love the fair and keep going back year after year. If you've never been to a fair, you are definitely missing out. There really is something there for everyone, you just have to go out and find what you love about the fair.