IT'S COUNTY FAIR TIME

It’s fair time!  As I walked along Wood Street two vehicles pulling livestock trailers passed me, and I thought about the upcoming fair week. The excitement and fun of the fair began a couple of weeks ago when we attended the box seat auction. It was then I began to reminisce and anticipate the celebration of the 150^th year of the Edgar County Fair. 

Anticipation of the Fair was a part of my growing up years. Some of my favorite summer memories are my participation in the Edgar County Fair.

As a small child, I would stand in front of the smeared glass pane of the cotton candy stand and gaze as the lady magically spun the beautiful pink sugar onto the paper cone. ( Now it comes in plastic bags and where is the magic in that?)

And then, the merry-go-round music would start, and I clutched my mother’s hand waiting for my turn to mount the beautiful black pony. Does anyone else remember watching the little ducks float by and grabbing the one you knew had the winning number for the teddy bear? (I never picked that number, but I always tried.)

In my young teenage years, (before a drivers’ license) the 4-H fair was the highlight of the summer. Not just the culmination of my cooking and sewing projects or the excitement of showing my Herford calf, but walking the carnival with my friends. How many trips did we make up and down the carnival route? The giggling girls in one group and the loud, obnoxious boys following. I’m not sure that has changed.

As a young bride in the summer of 1955, I attended the horse races with my in-laws. My father-in-law, Frank Camp, loved the county fairs-Marshall, Martinsville, Greenup and certainly Paris.  My soldier husband was not around that summer, and I learned about harness racing from Dad Camp at the Edgar County Fair.

And in a few years, our children began the fair anticipation/participation cycle. History repeating itself as we did the dog obedience class at the 4-H fair, and I know our teenage children walked the carnival. 

Soon,  (and it seemed very soon) our grandchildren were toddlers. The Edgar County Fair was the place for their first Carousel ride, their first Ferris Wheel ride holding hands to keep Grandma from being scared. and the journey down the big slide in Dad’s lap. Those toddlers slid right into teenagers walking the carnival as I had fifty years before.

And as Edgar County celebrates its 150^th year, I am anticipating participating with our great-granddaughter as I watch her ride the merry-Go Round, or eat a pronto pup or wipe some cotton candy off her sticky face.

 The joy is in the anticipation and then the participation. I have been thinking about how that is also true of our Christian faith.  When we participate in the fellowship, in the work, in the meeting together we then begin to experience the joy and excitement of being a part of the family of God. And as we participate in the things of God, we anticipate not only our time together here on earth, but perhaps also we can anticipate eternity.

We don’t anticipate if we don’t participate whether it’s the celebration of the 150^th Edgar County Fair or the celebration of our Christian faith.

Anticipating seeing you at the Fair and in eternity.

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