{"id":140,"date":"2020-10-23T05:50:30","date_gmt":"2020-10-23T05:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/?p=140"},"modified":"2022-03-24T03:49:45","modified_gmt":"2022-03-24T03:49:45","slug":"a-love-affair-with-the-fair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/?p=140","title":{"rendered":"A Love Affair with the Fair"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 20, 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It always begins with a corn dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going to the Tulsa State Fair is an annual tradition for me, something I\u2019ve done almost every year since I was a kid. With 2021 still turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year\u2019s event at the fairgrounds was a little different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
I try the amazing donut cheeseburger.<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

That made total sense, of course. But you get used to traditions, to things in life that help anchor you to your past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My love affair with the fair started early thanks to my parents, who themselves had grown up going to the fair and made sure we experienced it in all its glory. My mom even worked for the fair office for several years when she was in her 20s. She got to see behind the scenes, how all of it came together to become the jumbled, glorious spectacle that it is. My wife and I took our girls for years, passing on the tradition to the next generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many different sides to the fair, and I think that\u2019s one reason I love it so much \u2013 there truly is something for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to watch baby barnyard animals? Come see the newborn piglets and goats cuddling their mothers. On the other end of the animal spectrum you\u2019ve got the giant draft horses and steers, most of them raised by 4H students from across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interested in knowing who makes the best blackberry jam\/apple pie\/elaborate quilt\/leather saddle\/(fill in the blank)? Wander past the craft and cooking exhibits to see which ones earned the coveted blue ribbon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can enjoy all kinds of rides and carnival games. Although It was a sad day in my 30s when I found the Tilt-A-Whirl ride now made my stomach queasy and I was probably no longer a candidate for astronaut school. Some life lessons are tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ah, but then there\u2019s the food. Eating my way up and down the fair midway is something I\u2019ve done faithfully, whether it\u2019s steering our kids through the crowds or enjoying a friendly fair food eating competition with business clients. I always start with a corn dog \u2013 simple, traditional, it somehow captures the essence of the fair for me. And the possibilities. After that, I typically branch out into wilder offerings, like the bacon cheeseburger with donuts instead of buns (you\u2019ve GOT to try it!). Last year, I even tried the hot dog inside a pickle inside a corn dog. On a stick. Complicated, but tasty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Somehow, all of this comes together in one night like a mini time machine to give me the wonderful experience I\u2019ve shared with my family over so many years. It links us all together, and that\u2019s comforting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, I was disappointed we didn\u2019t get to wander the fair midway as much this year. (I still know I\u2019ll never be an astronaut, even without riding the Tilt-A-Whirl.) But it also makes me hopeful that next year will be better for us. In all kinds of ways. More lights along the midway at dusk. More baby goats standing on wobbly legs in the straw. And more corn dogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because that\u2019s where it begins.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

October 20, 2021 It always begins with a corn dog. Going to the Tulsa State Fair is an annual tradition for me, something I\u2019ve done almost every year since I was a kid. With 2021 still turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year\u2019s event at the fairgrounds was a little different. That made […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=140"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":161,"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140\/revisions\/161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barrettwaller.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}