Wisconsin State Fair

Those of you that know me know I love the State Fair.  There is so much to see and do!  Much to my sadness, it was better in the old days.  The history of the State Fair is that it was basically an agricultural event, showing off the newest equipment and techniques of the era.  They actually used to grow crops on the grounds and harvest them as demonstrations.  Of course, it was an agricultural lifestyle.

I remember going to the fair when I was six or seven years old.  I remember the old horse barns, and the old coliseum.  I remember a show in the Mall area with a couple of people on sway bars swinging back and forth--must have been 100 feet up.  I remember some of the old shacks that sold the food and whatnot. And of course I remember the flower building with Senator Bill Proxmier shaking everyone's hand.  I can remember when I was 11 or 12 that I started going to the fair by myself.  Boy the fun I had.  You could get in for a buck, a baked potato was a quarter, and they had good entertainment on more side stages.  I always seemed to have a good time.

After my freshmen year of college I actually got a job with he buildings and grounds department.  I worked all summer (and a couple of winters as well), so not only did I get a different look at the fair, but all the other events as well.  I learned a lot--how to fix and build things, where the good deals were, who would give you a free meal--so the pay wasn't great, but it paid off in other ways.  And I made some real good friends as well. 

I've seen a lot of changes at the Fair over the years.  Everyone used to set their own prices on things, now they are more uniform so nobody gets an "advantage". I seen a lot of buildings come and go.  The old Administration building, the Women's building, the old exhibit buidings, the Lutheran Diner, the Tavern on the Mall, heck even the old grandstand.  I miss the Midway being in the south parking lot, and the Pine Hut. And the Mexican Village. And And I miss the different characters I worked with and met through the years--Ziggy and Dolittle and Jim Nanson and School Teacher and Joe Tevz, and Mark Clark and of course Billy Griener.  And the plumbers and electricians. Boy I had some fun.

And then when the Misses and I had kids we would always take them to the fair.  And we always say it all.  Milk the cows, watch the judging, eat the food, climb on tractors, watch the parade, go see Smokey Bear--everything I ever liked about the fair, we did.   We always found something fun to do at the fair.

Alas, things change.  All the old buildings are mostly gone.  The Flower Building still stands, but it has all the 4H crafts and art stuff and the judging stuff in it.  Not many flowers at all.  Most of the exhibitors are in the big hall now, not spread out.  There seem to be more cops and security around--and of course it's all about them.   Geez, they don't even have the pictures of the year in the Journal Building anymore.  There doesn't seem to be as much variety anymore either.  You really have to search (go to Ag Products building--best local deals and variety).  At least the cream puffs and sweet corn are still there--can't miss them on a trip to the fair!  And the animals are still there, along with all the memories, which means I still always have fun at the fair!