While we resided in Seattle, my cousin Britany introduced Nick and me to the Puyallup fair. The fair in WA can only be described as junk food heaven! Turkey drumsticks, Crusty Pups, Scones (the real kind, not the UT kind), Fudge, Ice Cream, Roasted Corn on the Cob-swimming in butter, Snow Cones, Funnel Cakes, Nachos & my own personal favorite delight: Elephant Ears.
We went to the Puyallup fair every year after we were first introduced to it, and blew way too much money on food that we ate way too much of.
The food, combined with all of the amazing things to see was a near "sensory overload" experience.
Fast Forward one year. We live in UT now (Nick still hasn't forgiven me for insisting we move back to the desert. My apologies dear). We thought we'd take Reagan to Salt Lake and give the UT State Fair a try.
The best way I can describe the experience is by saying it would be like visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in NYC; and then visiting the Springville, UT museum of art a year later. Total Letdown.
In the livestock area the Horse Barn wasn't open to the public.
Reagan got to see the Goats instead. Hardly comparable, but at least she isn't old enough to know the difference yet.
They didn't allow strollers in the Lil' Farmers exhibit; and considering the crowd the fair seemed to draw, I wasn't about to leave my stroller unattended. I imagined coming out to find my Phil & Ted's stroller up on cinderblocks, or something.
On our way to the car I spotted a food stand that advertised Elephant Ears! I thought that the UT Fair might actually do something to redeem itself. I ordered a Lemonade and an Elephant Ear. The Carnie handed me my Lemonade and set down a paper plate with some indistinguishable food item on it? I told Mr. Carnie that I still needed my Elephant Ear. He pushed the paper plate closer to me. Sir: I know elephant ears. Elephant Ears are not stiff. They are floppy, like an elephant ear. The item on this plate is hard and looks like it is a day old.
Too bad for me. I paid $10 for a Lemonade and a shingle that had cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on it and was trying to pass itself off as an Elephant Ear. It was straightaway dumped in the nearest trash receptacle.
We never did find the area where the produce was on display??? What is a Fair without Huge pumpkins and squash? I guess it is the same Fair where they serve inedible fare and charge an arm and a leg for it. Disappointing.
The strap on Reagan's stroller probably tasted better than anything we ate at the UT State Fair.
Oh yeah, we also made a stop at Peach Days in Brigham City, UT a while ago. It isn't even worth having it's own blog post about. I'll post some cute pictures, but that is all the notoriety the event gets.
5 comments:
The only thing worthy of Peach Days was the pie dad got! The fair is always a let down, but it is our one time a year that we know we will see the Merryweather's, so we always go. The food is not great! We ate at Leatherby's before and it was not very good for how much it cost.
The fair looked like so much fun. Don't you just love seeing the looks on kids faces when they see an animal? I sure think so. When we went to the zoo, my niece and nephew got excited everytime they saw an animal. It was so cute.
Boo and Yuck! Sorry it was such a drag, we went all the time when I was little, it seemed much better then. I think smaller town fair's are much better...sounds like you guys need to move back to WA! I'll meet you there!
Oh come on. The fair? The whole purpose is people watching. You don't really go for the food (and you buy discount tickets from Smith's or you go on the $2 night). You should have lowered your expectations a bit and you would have had a blast. The giant pumpkins and other horticulture items were in a metal building just north of the cows and goats. James had a blue-ribbon photograph in the upstairs of the grand building. Did you make it there? We also got to watch sweaty square dancers, a hypnotist with tight pants and pointy shoes, and a ventriloquist who talked to a leprechaun. We counted the number of children we saw on leashes and gawked at all the people waiting to buy fried pb&j. Priceless!
I have been trying to get Andrew to go with me to the Puyallup Fair all day ... now, thanks to you, I have all the ammunition I need to get him there with promises of great food!
ps. I just sent your tote yesterday, so you should see it soon! Thanks again!
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