Ferris Wheels and Funnel Cakes
After not making it on a ferris wheel for the entire Fourth of July holiday, I knew I would start going into withdrawal when the big fair came to town. This girl loves ferris wheels. And funnel cakes. And sweet corn dipped in butter.I’m a frugal sort, however, and the fair entry cost would probably be better used towards something like our electric bill or the ice cream addiction.
Even if I’m not going to indulge in the wild and wooly fair, I bet some of you will. What draws you there? The music? The 4-H exhibits? The rides? The horrible-for-you food? The awesome parking?
If I were going to go on Sunday when tickets are only five dollars each, I would do the following: Ferris wheel, funnel cake, 4-H exhibits to show my little boy about animals, sweet corn, ferris wheel, some cheesy ride with the little boy, another cheesy ride, ferris wheel, and a funnel cake to take home.
I’m not a roller coaster fan, live music is kind of frenetic with so many people and I can’t handle spinning very fast in one of those crazy contraptions. My fair needs would be simple and direct. I vote for the fair people to offer the Citizen Wausau editorial board free day passes so we’ll write more about them — they absolutely need the publicity.
Let me live vicariously through you, dear readers. What is your favorite fair memory?
Tom Neal said:
Running the risk of offending someone, I’ll just say I went right off the whole fair / carnival thing years ago. Scary people … and I’m not talking about the freak show concession. Dust. Noise. Cheap junk for sale and to win. Tripping over electrical cables. Funnel cakes … alright, I like those. But they’re bad (and I swear the “powdered sugar” is really some alum-like chemical that makes my tongue feel weird). Noise. Scary people. Rides I’ll never ride due to incompatible constitution. The indelicate aroma and visual of evidence of other people’s inability to stomach the rides … or the food … or both! Noise. Headaches. Scary people. It’s a bit like Wal-Mart on LSD. Not something I would do willingly. But, the fair certainly attracts a lot of folks (many of them scary). They come from God-knows-where and do that fair thang, with relish. More power to them. I’d rather go to Oak Island, sit in the shade and have a picnic. No noise. No scary people. No “evidence.” I don’t even like watching movies that take place at fairs /carnivals.
July 31st, 2008 at 9:20 am #
Alex Tallitsch said:
You said buttered corn. Mmmm. I used to like the fair I suppose, although it is associated with one of my worst memories. I was in a goat exhibit, probably five or so, and got separated from my parents. I was officially a lost child for about ten minutes or so. Still a vivid image and still can feel the fear.
Aside from that I went mostly in my teens. We would jump the fence and pretty much hang out on the boardwalk or in the arcade. It was fair to middlin’.
I haven’t gone to a fair more than a couple of times in the last fifteen years or so. I like the unhealthy food, usually just a corn and cheese curd guy.
Otherwise, I like to check out the animals, briefly.
August 1st, 2008 at 7:07 pm #
swearingen said:
Note to sefl: Don’t go on the Tilt-A-Whirl with your brother and sister (nor alone, for that matter) with a sno-cone. If you do decide to do this, make a second note. Two words: Moist Towelettes.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:08 pm #