When the end of summer comes rolling around, many people get excited about going to their local county fair. For some, it is about showing the animals that they have worked almost the entire year on. While for others, it is about going to see friends and eat the delicious fair food.

For different people, going to their county fair means different things.

From a perspective of someone who shows and exhibits animals, going to the fair means a week of hard work, sweat, and friendly competition. It doesn't matter if it's market steers, dairy cows, horses, pigs, rabbits, sheep, or goats, if you are an exhibitor, you are busy all week long. Many people don't realize what happens during the week of the fair. For us, it is about spending the night in the barn to make sure your animals stay clean for the show in the morning. It is about washing your animals five or six times to keep them presentable. It is about spending all day in the barns sitting in your tack area to watch for prospective buyers coming by. It is about going to the 4-H Food Booth to work your shifts for each club you are involved in. It is about feeding your animals first before you have a chance to eat. During the fair, from an exhibitor's perspective, it is about showing off what you have been working on all year and hoping it pays off in the end. Even though we all want to win the banner, we all take time to have fun and work with our fellow showmen. We take time out of our days to take our animals through the obstacle course, to participate in Dairy Fun Night, and of course go to the truck and tractor pulls as well as the demolition derby. Fair week is a time of hard work with a little bit of fun mixed in.

From a perspective of someone who frequents the fair, going to the fair means a week of long hours and socialization. The fair is the one place that everyone goes to, at least once out of the seven days. It is a great place to get caught up with friends from your home town before the school year begins again, eat your favorite fair food, and go to the weekly events. One of the most highlighted events at our local county fair is the Demolition Derby! Where else can you watch cars and trucks smash into each other for only $10? Other events include truck and tractor pulls, talent shows, and the animal showings. And how can we forget about our fair food? We all love our cotton candy, snow cones, cactus tatters, ice cream, orangeade, lemonade, and more!

Small town county fairs have a feeling like no other. You get a sense of town pride from the people who show animals, as well as the people who attend the fair for fun. It holds many opportunities of fun and excitement for all people. County fairs have many traditions that will continue to go on for years to come!