Calhoun County Fair

It’s Calhoun County Fair week. It’s the 165th year of the fair, and our fine fair is one of the oldest operating fairs in the state. I chatted with Mom about the fair; she told me that it was important to Dad that I go to the fair and see the animals when I was just a year and a half old. I remember going every year with my family growing up. When we were little, Mom and Dad took us on the rides. We always had an elephant ear or cotton candy, petted the farm animals and walked up and down the midway.

The shelter had a booth at one of the merchant barns (Belcher) this past Thursday. I worked the morning shift at the booth, and Mom joined me which was awesome.

The Battle Creek Enquirer just did a fantastic article about the history of the fair buildings, written by Justin Hinkley. “In 1923, with money donated from movie stars Tom Mix, Theda Bara and Jackie Coogan, a building then known as the Boys & Girls Annex was erected near the center of the fairgrounds, housing 4-H shows and working as a bunkhouse for the 4-H kids. Today, the building’s known as the Edward L. & Genevieve Belcher Commerce Center, named after Ed Belcher, who ran 4-H auctions for 48 years at the fair. He died in 2008, but his son, Brent, and grandson, Kevin, continue his legacy.”

We worked until noon, mostly listening to people say things like “I have a bunch of unaltered outside cats that keep getting squished by cars on the road.” I love people. Mom bought us scalloped potatoes from the Fredonia Grange for lunch (what is a grange? read about it here).

After we were relieved by the next booth-sitters, Mom and I went and looked at the animals.

After petting the farm animals, we walked the midway and then ate an elephant ear.