Here’s a fact: The first thought on my mind when I woke up Sunday morning was this:
OH NO…I forgot to get cotton candy at the State Fair yesterday!!
This is distressing stuff, people. Because who forgets cotton candy at the fair? I mean, never mind that I live less than three miles from the fairgrounds, less than five miles from an amusement park and across the street from a waterpark.* If I really want cotton candy, I have options all around me.
Anyway, other than the cotton candy oversight, I had a blast of a weekend hanging out with friends and getting my Iowa on at the State Fair. But because I’m sunburned and tired, I’m afraid a fair photo montage is about as creative as today’s blog post is going to get.** (Probably if I had some cotton candy, I’d be all witty and wise. But alas…)
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| So there are between 90,000 and 120,000 people each day at the Iowa State Fair. I’m pretty sure I bumped into at least 85,000 of them while looking everywhere but where I was walking. |
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| My fellow fairgoers and I from left: Sister Nicole (I mean, she’s my sister–not a nun), yours truly, Magdalene and Melinda. |
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| Major confession: This is the only ride I went on this year. Don’t know why, but I suddenly got thrifty and couldn’t make myself spend $10 a ride on the others. (That’s Maggie and Mel in the car ahead.) |
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| Here’s the thing about camels: They have better eyelashes than any model in any mascara commercial ever. It’s not fair. |
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| So after I saw this sign I couldn’t help Googling what animals don’t have top and bottom teeth. The fair is nothing if not educational. |
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| Because if you’re going to make a statue of a historical American icon, obviously you’re going to make it out of butter. |
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| I discovered new and interesting things in this building. Like Iowa has a State Emu Association. Who knew? And honey lemonade is weird. |
*Okay, to be 100% honest, the waterpark is currently closed. But still.
**My thanks to Nicole and Mel for letting me use some of their photos to supplement my own. I’m the worst at taking photos. Mostly because I get easily frustrated trying to fish my phone out from my purse and tend to just give up.
What did you do this past weekend? And did it include cotton candy?
Comments 24
Loved your pics. Brought back memories of going to the fair as a kid. Sadly our local fairgrounds closed last year. Times are changing. But I did treat myself to cotton candy for the first time in years, while in Florida this spring. 😉
Ooh nice–cotton candy in Florida might even be more enjoyable than cotton candy at the fair due to that whole pretty ocean thing 🙂
That is a big fair! Never been to one that large 🙂 I love the butter statue, who couldn’t love a butter Lincoln?
Oh yeah, it’s a huge fair. I think it’s either the biggest or possibly second to Texas.
No cotton candy. Sigh. I did indulge in Nutella, though.
And I can’t sculpt anything out of Play-Doh … so I am seriously impressed with the butter sculpture of Lincoln.
I love Nutella so much I can’t ever buy it… 🙂
And yeah, the statue is impressive. It’s a weird thing, those annual butter statues, but cool. 🙂
Nope. No cotton candy. Just a quiet weekend…ahhh…oh, and no sunburn either;)
A quiet weekend sounds fabulous. I’d love one of those myself!
No cotton candy, but we did make s’mores last night down at our fire pit by the river! We also did a lot of fishing. Hung out with my family on Saturday and then we had friends over for a picnic and swim in the river. The kids found clam shells, the husbands had a rock skipping contest and the moms got to have a great (if constantly interrupted) conversation. 🙂 Sounds like you had fun!!
Sounds like a fabulous and fun weekend!
Haha, you are hilarious. I love your descriptions of things. So darn witty, even without the cotton candy. 🙂
The weekend flew by. A friend is in town and we kind of just hung out. And I got a massage on Saturday. Heavenly!
Haha, thanks, Linz. Sounds like you had a nice and relaxing weekend. 🙂
The last big fair I went to was the Mid-South Fair many, many years ago. Our county has a small one and I went last year…but I didn’t get cotton candy! Maybe this year.
I highly recommend cotton candy. It’s like biting into a cloud made of sugar…de-lish. 🙂
I’m sorry, did you say $10 a ride?
I think I am catching a case of the vapors!
At least there was plenty of lower-cost stuff to see!
Yep, $10 a ride. The fair is not for the faint of financial-heart. 🙂 (I don’t think that sentence actually makes much sense, but the alliteration is sweet.)
What? Who doesn’t get cotton candy at the fair???? 😉
I’m not a big fair/amusement park kind of gal, but they always look like they would be so much fun! I guess I just don’t like all the crowds. Or the heat…I’m in Texas, don’t you know.
I know, the no cotton candy thing was a travesty.
Oh yeah, the Texas heat would make the fair a little less enjoyable, I’m sure. It was hot here Saturday, but not unbearable. And here’s a weird fact about me: I kinda like crowds. Not always. But sometimes I just love being in a swarm of people…I get a kick out of people-watching. Which probably makes me sound older than my 31 years, but I can’t help it…people are so interesting to observe. 🙂
I had a pretty great weekend with people that are the family I’m not blood-related to, but would totally swap with some of the family I am if it was up to me. 🙂 As for the cotton candy, I think you got distracted by the 900 lb pumpkin, butter cow, and miniature baby goat and you completely forgot the sugar drug.
I had a great time with my no-blood-relation family, too, Mel. 🙂 Whhhyyyy can’t you move to Des Moines? I mean, seriously…it’d be so amazing. The only downside would be that I’d get even less sleep than I do now…all those 3 a.m. late night chats. And that’s not much of a downside at all!! 🙂
And the baby goat!! Possibly the cutest animal I have ever seen. Remember how long we stood at that fence?? The 900 lb pumpkin was pretty sweet too. I need to meet the farmer who raises those because I have so many questions. How long does it take to get that big? How did they lift it without breaking it? What do they do with it after the fair? Does it make a good pumpkin pie? Does it make 900 good pumpkin pies?
Looks like a great time Melissa!
Definitely a great time! And now…it’s all over til next year. 🙂
You have the absolute best sense of humor….you had me at the title! Love it!
I’m not a huge fair fan, but oooooh the food and the roller coasters!
Haha, thanks, Michelle. Sometimes I’m a little ashamed at the randomness and non-depth of some of these blog posts…but I guess everyone can appreciate a little fair photo fun. 🙂