day trips from portland: the benton county fair
The grizzled, sun-split skinned ride operator politely asked if he could sit next to me on the bench and then told me a. he’s been operating rides for 27 years and b. “that’s my wife,” indicating a beautiful young woman with three tiny children in tow. Teenaged kids flirted and laughed, teasing each other with cotton candy, queuing up to the ticket booth. I faced my fear of heights head on and walked the long steps into the sky to go down the slide.
A cowboy willingly brought his lasso outside of the barn to let me snap some photos with my crackberry and told us that he didn’t enter the rodeo this year; the $100 fee wasn’t worth paying since he wasn’t skilled enough to win. Watching his lasso swoop and swirl we laughed and told him he was wonderful.
And I felt an odd sense of relief at seeing the many baked goods on display. It’s comforting somehow, to know that people still care about things like cookies on a plate or jelly in a jar. I couldn’t hold back my giggles as I perused the lego creations and bizarre collections (rubber ducks, bugs) on display in the exhibit center. The band played loudly to a tiny audience and all around us, families chattered and took in the sights.
The 2008 Benton County Fair in Corvallis wraps up today. If the fair’s attendance doesn’t hit a certain number, they’re going to decrease the number of days for the fair starting next year. It’s sad, but over time, county fairs have decreased in popularity. Sad, because county fairs offer local residents a way to learn more about the agriculture that’s at the heart of many rural communities. And they’re just so much fun. If you’re looking for something to do today, go.
Benton County Fair and Rodeo
Corvallis, Oregon
A cowboy willingly brought his lasso outside of the barn to let me snap some photos with my crackberry and told us that he didn’t enter the rodeo this year; the $100 fee wasn’t worth paying since he wasn’t skilled enough to win. Watching his lasso swoop and swirl we laughed and told him he was wonderful.
And I felt an odd sense of relief at seeing the many baked goods on display. It’s comforting somehow, to know that people still care about things like cookies on a plate or jelly in a jar. I couldn’t hold back my giggles as I perused the lego creations and bizarre collections (rubber ducks, bugs) on display in the exhibit center. The band played loudly to a tiny audience and all around us, families chattered and took in the sights.
The 2008 Benton County Fair in Corvallis wraps up today. If the fair’s attendance doesn’t hit a certain number, they’re going to decrease the number of days for the fair starting next year. It’s sad, but over time, county fairs have decreased in popularity. Sad, because county fairs offer local residents a way to learn more about the agriculture that’s at the heart of many rural communities. And they’re just so much fun. If you’re looking for something to do today, go.
Benton County Fair and Rodeo
Corvallis, Oregon
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