And just like that, the 2nd (and final) day of the mini state fair is wrapping up as I write this. Sadly, I was not able to make it through the entire day. I was planning on attending the concerts, but during the late-afternoon hours, the heat just became too much. I began feeling ill, despite drinking plenty of water. There were several picnic benches scattered throughout the area, but most of them were not in the shade. Finding a bench with shade was pretty hard to find. So, those of you who attended the concerts, what did you think? Drop me a note in the comments. I just wish I could have held on longer, but it just wasn't happening.
I started my day at the Tacone stand, which has been a staple for me at every state fair. They were just as good as ever! A flour tortilla baked into the shape of a cone, loaded up with a generous amount of taco filling and sour cream on top. I walked and ate, seeing people who I haven't seen in a while. I ran into my friend Nikki and her daughter, who were at the end of a very long line, waiting for a funnel cake. Yes, there were lots of long lines, but again, I'm thankful to see the community supporting local businesses who needed this "shot in the arm" to help their business succeed. I also got to see my grandkids and their family. We just don't get together enough, and now this Covid junk has just made it harder. My granddaughter (4yrs) knows who I am very well, but just can't remember my name. Yeah, we need to get together more often, I think. Later in the day, I headed to Mid-State Cookers and ordered some fried pickle spears. They were pretty good, despite standing in line for about 30 minutes. The best part of the day was running into friends. I had a chance to meet up with my friend Brad and his family from our church. We talked for a while. I saw lots of my kiddos from church, BGC and school, and that was fun. It also gave me a chance to meet their parents.
I walked around for a few hours, stopping to rest my legs every once in a while, and some people I talked to wondered why I would spend so much time just walking. Well, 1. It's good exercise, 2. I needed to walk off that wonderful fair food, and 3. The longer I stayed, the more people I got to see. People were coming and going all the time, and I got to see a lot of friends in this way.
I'm thankful to the Fair foundation for putting this event together. Many people I talked to echoed the same sentiment. There was a State Fair feel to the whole event, the smells were there, the people were there. Yes, I will miss the actual state fair in September, but I'm thankful for that quick weekend of fun that we have been treated to.
What's next: If you're up for it, I'd like to take the next few weeks and every once in a while share some fun moments from the last several years of the fair. I have lots of pictures and videos in the archive, and I think it would be fun to brush the dust off of them and drop some of them in here every other day or so. Thoughts? I'd also like to take a couple of Saturdays in September to make some State Fair food. I can make Pronto Pups, Elephant Ears, Funnel Cakes, Fried Pickle Spears, BBQ Parfaits, and more. Would you all enjoy a state fair food day? Of course, I'd have to charge a bit of a fee to cover the cost of supplies, but I think I'd just make it on a donation basis. Let me know what you think. This blog relies on your input.
Thanks so much for reading and for humoring me in my 2-day mini state fair blog. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and God bless!
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Friday, August 21, 2020
Rob's Mini-State Fair Ramblings Day 1
To be honest, there was not going to be any ramblings for this special mini-fair event. I had no requests for a mini-blog for this event. Not even one. However, when I went out to the fair event this afternoon, I ran into my sister, Jen. (That's another story). Anyway, she asked me if I was going to blog this event, and I shared that no one had requested it. She seemed surprised about that, as was I. I told her that I would go ahead and make a blog post, and if people liked it, they could thank Jen.
Today's event began at 11:00 this morning, but I didn't make it out until about 4:00ish, due to work responsibilities. Here are some things you will need to know about how this event is laid out. The food court area is on the street just east of the Domestic Arts building. Some of the vendors include Pronto Pups, Mid-State Cookers, who are the culmination of all things deep-fried, kettle corn, Brackett Concessions, who have deep-fried cookie dough, Oreos, peaches, and other goodies. There are deep-fried pickles, an ice cream stand, and the Tacones are ready to sell as well. Both Pepsi and Coca-Cola products are represented. Be prepared for State fair prices on the food, but think about this: The vendors are Kansas people, our local folks. They are taking a HUGE financial hit by not having the state fair this year, which was a substantial boost to their bottom line. There is also a stand by the lake which sells alcoholic beverages, and those drinks need to stay right there within the designated area. The big slide is also in operation during this mini-fair event for a $2 ride ticket, or 4 tickets for $7.
As I mentioned before, I arrived at about 4:00, and my first stop was the Pronto Pup stand. The Pronto Pups are $4, and they will ask you if you want ketchup or mustard, as they will put it on for you inside the stand. They don't have the bottles out front like they usually do. They also have a spicy mustard option. Afterwards, I pretty much walked around the area, which didn't take long, so I went and walked around the empty parts of the grounds. I looked around the Midway, and I could tell you every ride and attraction that would fill that spot. It made me kind of sad that I will miss that this year. After my walk, I visited the Deep-fried cookie dough stand and took home a 3-piece of deep-fried cookie dough for $5. They will also sprinkle powdered sugar over it for you if you'd like. (Yes, I cheated on my healthy diet, but hey, it's the fair, kind of...). I also checked out the fair merchandise table, and found a cool clearance T-shirt for $4. They also sell caps, cups, hoodies, and a lot of other goodies. As I said before, this is a tough year financially for the fair, and I was glad to be able to help out just a little by giving them my business.
During my time there, I also got to see some of my kiddos from BGC and church. One of the BGC kiddos was so excited to see me, he tried to tackle me with a hug, but I was able to turn it into a quick high-five. He understood why. It's hard to not hug these kiddos when they want a hug. If anything, I can gently turn it into a quick side-hug if they just HAVE to have a hug. I( just hate this Covid world that we're living in. But, that's another post for another day.)
I also got to see some of my church kiddos, 2 brothers who were totally pumped that they got to ride the big slide. I just love seeing my many kiddos at events like this.
Tomorrow's events begin at 11:00, with all food booths open, and I'll be out and about, maybe I'll see you. In the evening, the attention will turn toward the lake, with entertainers on stage.
At 5:00, you can see Sassanachs, a high-energy Irish and folk-rock-influenced band from Harvey County. They play polka, country, mariachi, punk, and more.
6:00 features Makayla Brownlee, a teen from Wellington, who made it into the top 40 in the 2020 season of American Idol.
7:00 will bring Lockeland, a Nashville group who is rising on the country music scene.
I hope that if you plan on attending tomorrow, that I get a chance to visit with you. I love seeing people at events like these and saying hello. Infobits: Parking is located right on the fairgrounds, in the empty areas east of the commercial buildings. Masks are not required unless you are not planning on social distancing. It's an outdoor event, so just do what you are comfortable with. I will have mine on hand, in the event that I have to be too close to someone else. In any case, I hope to be able to enjoy some fun and excitement in this world that is so embroiled in covid craziness. Thanks for reading! Good night and God bless!
PS: Thanks, Jen!
Today's event began at 11:00 this morning, but I didn't make it out until about 4:00ish, due to work responsibilities. Here are some things you will need to know about how this event is laid out. The food court area is on the street just east of the Domestic Arts building. Some of the vendors include Pronto Pups, Mid-State Cookers, who are the culmination of all things deep-fried, kettle corn, Brackett Concessions, who have deep-fried cookie dough, Oreos, peaches, and other goodies. There are deep-fried pickles, an ice cream stand, and the Tacones are ready to sell as well. Both Pepsi and Coca-Cola products are represented. Be prepared for State fair prices on the food, but think about this: The vendors are Kansas people, our local folks. They are taking a HUGE financial hit by not having the state fair this year, which was a substantial boost to their bottom line. There is also a stand by the lake which sells alcoholic beverages, and those drinks need to stay right there within the designated area. The big slide is also in operation during this mini-fair event for a $2 ride ticket, or 4 tickets for $7.
As I mentioned before, I arrived at about 4:00, and my first stop was the Pronto Pup stand. The Pronto Pups are $4, and they will ask you if you want ketchup or mustard, as they will put it on for you inside the stand. They don't have the bottles out front like they usually do. They also have a spicy mustard option. Afterwards, I pretty much walked around the area, which didn't take long, so I went and walked around the empty parts of the grounds. I looked around the Midway, and I could tell you every ride and attraction that would fill that spot. It made me kind of sad that I will miss that this year. After my walk, I visited the Deep-fried cookie dough stand and took home a 3-piece of deep-fried cookie dough for $5. They will also sprinkle powdered sugar over it for you if you'd like. (Yes, I cheated on my healthy diet, but hey, it's the fair, kind of...). I also checked out the fair merchandise table, and found a cool clearance T-shirt for $4. They also sell caps, cups, hoodies, and a lot of other goodies. As I said before, this is a tough year financially for the fair, and I was glad to be able to help out just a little by giving them my business.
During my time there, I also got to see some of my kiddos from BGC and church. One of the BGC kiddos was so excited to see me, he tried to tackle me with a hug, but I was able to turn it into a quick high-five. He understood why. It's hard to not hug these kiddos when they want a hug. If anything, I can gently turn it into a quick side-hug if they just HAVE to have a hug. I( just hate this Covid world that we're living in. But, that's another post for another day.)
I also got to see some of my church kiddos, 2 brothers who were totally pumped that they got to ride the big slide. I just love seeing my many kiddos at events like this.
Tomorrow's events begin at 11:00, with all food booths open, and I'll be out and about, maybe I'll see you. In the evening, the attention will turn toward the lake, with entertainers on stage.
At 5:00, you can see Sassanachs, a high-energy Irish and folk-rock-influenced band from Harvey County. They play polka, country, mariachi, punk, and more.
6:00 features Makayla Brownlee, a teen from Wellington, who made it into the top 40 in the 2020 season of American Idol.
7:00 will bring Lockeland, a Nashville group who is rising on the country music scene.
I hope that if you plan on attending tomorrow, that I get a chance to visit with you. I love seeing people at events like these and saying hello. Infobits: Parking is located right on the fairgrounds, in the empty areas east of the commercial buildings. Masks are not required unless you are not planning on social distancing. It's an outdoor event, so just do what you are comfortable with. I will have mine on hand, in the event that I have to be too close to someone else. In any case, I hope to be able to enjoy some fun and excitement in this world that is so embroiled in covid craziness. Thanks for reading! Good night and God bless!
PS: Thanks, Jen!
Monday, August 17, 2020
Rob's Ramblings; Mini-Fair Event!
A special thanks goes out to my friend Nancy S, who placed the link to this event on my Facebook and let me know of this! Thanks, Nancy!
If you know me, if there's an event that is similar to the likes of the fair, I will be there! Since we lost our 2020 State Fair, many people like myself have been very disappointed. I understand the reasoning behind the decision, but it's still tough. However, the State Fair is hosting a weekend of fair"ish" fun! Over by the lake will be a set-up of food, entertainment and more. They are asking people to be careful, but it's not clear if they are going to require masks at this event. You might want to bring one just in case. The event takes place on Friday and Saturday, and I'm planning on being there! This will give me and many others a "State Fair fix."
My question to you is.... would you like a 2-day mini State Fair blog? I will only do this if you ask for it. This blog site is becoming quite user-unfriendly, and it's taking twice the time to write a post. They're re-formatting the site, and I now have numerous bugs to work through. However, I will be happy to deal with this if you want a 2-day blog! I will post about what I saw, what I did, and what I ate. I love my readers, and will deal with tech issues to entertain you!
I'll place the link to this event on my own personal Facebook page, and you can see what this event has to offer. This is a quick post, and I'm going to end it now before I throw my computer through the window. I may be looking for a new blog site. Thoughts?
Thanks for reading and God bless you!
If you know me, if there's an event that is similar to the likes of the fair, I will be there! Since we lost our 2020 State Fair, many people like myself have been very disappointed. I understand the reasoning behind the decision, but it's still tough. However, the State Fair is hosting a weekend of fair"ish" fun! Over by the lake will be a set-up of food, entertainment and more. They are asking people to be careful, but it's not clear if they are going to require masks at this event. You might want to bring one just in case. The event takes place on Friday and Saturday, and I'm planning on being there! This will give me and many others a "State Fair fix."
My question to you is.... would you like a 2-day mini State Fair blog? I will only do this if you ask for it. This blog site is becoming quite user-unfriendly, and it's taking twice the time to write a post. They're re-formatting the site, and I now have numerous bugs to work through. However, I will be happy to deal with this if you want a 2-day blog! I will post about what I saw, what I did, and what I ate. I love my readers, and will deal with tech issues to entertain you!
I'll place the link to this event on my own personal Facebook page, and you can see what this event has to offer. This is a quick post, and I'm going to end it now before I throw my computer through the window. I may be looking for a new blog site. Thoughts?
Thanks for reading and God bless you!
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