Now here is something, I’ll tell ya’. In this little county of ours, we don’t have the ballet, the opera, the theatre…. or for that matter…. a dinner theatre. There is a little TV at the Cassano’s Pizza King. That’s sorta’ like dinner theatre.

But we have cultural events which are much different. Yes, they are of an entirely different scope and scale.

And at this time of year, one of those events comes in the form of the county fair. That’s right. The Preble County Fair.

I for one, love it.

You see, I grew up in the city. I never went to a county fair. In fact, the first “fair” I ever attended, was the Ohio State Fair. I was about 17 years old, and was in Columbus playing softball. Some of the older members of the team suggested we go.

We mostly went to the “freak shows” which I did not care for one bit.  I saw those very “little” people who were also double-jointed contortionists. And a bearded lady. She was an “intentional” bearded lady. My Aunt Ursula had a beard… but she was always tweezing at it.  Aunt Ursula didn’t care for those chin-whiskers one bit and she didn’t want them either.  In a different tent…..a woman laid in a tank of slithering snakes. Snake Woman, befittingly.  None of this, nary one bit…. was of any interest to me.

But let me get back to this county…..

The Preble County Fair.  As mentioned earlier, I delight in this event. It was the first “county” fair of my life.  I discovered this several years after moving out here…. when I was about 35 or so. I can’t believe I went so long without this delicacy.  This is culture, at its very best.

I find great enjoyment in eating deep fried cauliflower, corn dogs, hamburgers, nachos… all of it. I love the 4-H events… from little farm hands “showing” animals, to the “sewing” competitions, and “talent” contests. I dig the tractor pulls and the harness races. It is of one of life’s best sights, to see a kid with a balloon in one hand, circus waffle in the other, and powdered sugar on every corner of her face.

Needless to say, this is one hot ticket. Cheesy Fries, Ring Tosses, and Pie Contests. It is all just around the corner. Yep. The Fair is coming to town.  Grab a Philly Cheese Steak and have a seat near the Talent Stage.  It is the best Dinner Theatre around.   Fair and Square.