Goin' to the Fair...

Took the family to Topsfield Fair yesterday, an annual tradition that dates back, well, as long as there has been a G. family (and even before then, as Mom and Dad G. used to take me and Sis G. when we were but wee sprogs ourselves). Every year we take a day out of our busy lives to go wander around the Fair, checking out the livestock, produce, and midway; eating fried, fatty food (especially fried dough, which tastes good any time but is especially yummy at the fair); watching magic shows, hearing live music (Chuck Berry this year!), and (more for me) ogling the tractors and other sundry machines of agriculture.

Topsfield Fair is billed as the oldest agricultural gathering in the United States, starting nearly 200 years ago in 1818. It's been at the same location for 100 years nows, the same fairgrounds that I've been visiting for nearly 40 years has hosted the same event since the Boy Scouts of America were new.

100 Years

The fair is a throwback to a different time, the one time out of the year that farmers got together to compare notes, win bragging rights, and see the latest and greatest innovations in technology and husbandry. Heck, by fair standards, this is a downright newcomer:

Loves me a Dodge

We got to the fair a few minutes before it opened, finding a rather good parking space (in the rear entrance, a hidden trick I discovered when my son was young that has saved countless hours of waiting in traffic - it's a straight shot to the back roads home rather than the congested highway and no, I ain't tellin') and heading right in. The midway games and rides open about an hour or so after the exhibits, so we walked around and took in the sights beforehand. We went to a magic show, where both BabyGirl G. and TheBoy got called up on stage, which was pretty much the highlight of the day:

My little hams

That's Jason Hudy, a local magician who has a regular gig at the Fair every year. TheBoy is interested in magic, having some card tricks up his sleeve and such, and we've gone to Jason's show pretty much every year for at least five years now (the first time TheBoy was in Kindergarten and had just broken his arm - his bright orange cast got him called up on stage). Both TheBoy and BabyGirl G. participated in the show this year (separate bits), and after the show we got the above picture, which is my favorite shot of the day.

After lunch we took a family ride on the Ferris wheel, allowing some panoramic shots of the fairgrounds:

View from the wheel 1

View from the wheel 2

After the family ride on the Ferris wheel, Mrs. G. took BabyGirl G. to ride some rides and play some games and I did likewise with TheBoy. His favorite ride was the "Cliffhanger":

One happy TheBoy

That. That smile is what it's all about. I had about the greatest day in a while yesterday, between watching the smile on my daughter's face as she watched a baby chick hatch to the fun they had on the stage to watching my son enjoy a thrilling ride. Both kids had a wonderful time - and they even behaved themselves, if you can believe it (of course, it doesn't hurt that we kept them separated mostly...)!

For me, though, the most awesome part was right after TheBoy got off the Cliffhanger, he comes running over to me.

"Dad, that ride was awesome! Can I do it again?"

"Sure thing buddy."

"Would you like to go on it with me?"

I wouldn't miss it for anything in the entire world pal.

That is all.