Going to the Fair

Last weekend, I got to introduce my friend Lisa and my sister Barbara to the Indiana State Fair. Personally, I had never been to a state fair before I moved to Indianapolis, but now I’m quite the fan. I try to visit every year, and this time, I sure had a blast, and I think they had fun, too! Yep, there sure is a lot to love about the Indiana State Fair.

1. ANIMALS: I mean, come on -who besides my sister, who merely tolerated our trips into the animal barns - does not like seeing goats, lambs, pigs, horses, cattle, mules and other farm animals? Yes, it is true that you do have to watch where you step when you tour the animal barns, but I’m not the one who wore flip-flops to the fair. I’m not judging her lack of good choices, mind you. I’m just stating the facts here and that’s all. Hee hee!

2. FOOD: Hold me back. There are some tasty treats to be had at the state fair. Who doesn’t like elephant ears? [OK, besides the few of you who actually prefer funnel cakes.] I mean, who wouldn’t savor a crispy, cinnamon-covered deep fried pastry? Sigh! Good stuff that! And then there is the pork tenderloin, the ribbon chips, cheese fries, the wet burrito, the turkey leg, and the steak sandwich all followed by cotton candy, another elephant ear or funnel cake, a deep fried Reese's peanut butter cup, a frozen banana, lemon shake-up, salt water taffy, fudge, deep fried oreos, and then a trip to the dairy barn for some ice cream. NAH! I didn’t really eat that much. Diet Girl has not completely fallen off the wagon here, but I did indulge in some Indiana delicacies.

This year I fell in love with the chicken-on-a-stick. It’s basically a giant breaded chicken tender on--you guessed it--a stick! It was tasty. I needed some dipping sauce because that breading was a bit too salty, but it was still so good. Now I have yet to try the deep fried Pepsi (it’s still a bit of a mystery to me) or the chocolate-covered bacon (yes, you read that correctly – it’s called “pigs in the mud,” rather catchy don’t you think?), but I’m going to keep them in mind on my next visit. It might be good.

3. EXHIBITS: There are always lots of exhibits, and the truth is that I never seem to get to them all maybe because I'm too wrapped up in items 1 and 2 above. Naturally though, I love touring the art and photography galleries, but I know that there are many others to explore as well.

4. PEOPLE: OK, so some of the carnival people might seem a bit scary. But they are just people. And isn't it fun seeing new faces and people-watching a bit. We're all so different, and yet the same somehow. OK, that was profound, wasn't it? HA!

5. RIDES: I never ride the rides. Does that seem wrong? Maybe it's the fact that I'm cursed with my mother's fear of heights these days or my last experiences on ocean motion at Cedar Point. YIKES! I would love to bring my nieces and nephews for a visit, and maybe I’ll plan on doing just that next year. What a blast that would be! Actually, I think some of the rides could be fun, but it’s not really on the top of my agenda (see items 1 through 4 above).

Yeah, I prefer walking around and seeing all the sights, savoring or choking on the smells, tasting the mouth-watering delights, and hearing the sounds of music and laughter. After all, it’s hard NOT to be happy at the state fair. Well, I wouldn’t be happy if you tried to snag my chicken-on-a-stick, but other than that, I find it all highly enjoyable.

So, my friend John and I are hitting the Indiana State Fair again this weekend. I can’t wait. It will be the last day of the 2009 fair, and we want to take it all in once more. And hey, if y’all want to come along, just holler. The more, the merrier. Be there or be square! HA!