Jefferson County Fair

Now for something non-technical: my family and I visited the Jefferson County Fair again this year. This fair is small, and low-key, really oriented towards the local community rather than attempting to be some big event for tourists. I like it this way, and I encourage them to keep it going.

But even so, it's got a certain tension between the main threads of activity:First, there's the 4-H theme: cat shows, animal husbandry, model rocketry, bee-keeping, etc. These are right in line with the the adult-themed activities: arts, textiles, baking, canning, rock-collecting and of course the equestrian events that cross-over generations.

In keeping on the agrarian theme, it also has the horse-pulls: where draft horse teams compete to pull a loaded sled a fixed distance. This year's winning team pulled 7,500 lbs I think. Most of these teams are regulars: I recognize both the horses and their drivers going on several years now.

But then there's the motorist events: where else could you find a demolition derby where the competitors are high school students? What better way to blow off steam? This is gender-neutral, last year's winner was female and her younger sister was driving this year (she didn't win, although another girl placed third.) And this is followed the next day by the adult version - the "mud drags" wherein people race their vehicles through pits filled with mud? The unlucky ones get towed out, sometimes with a broken axle... Totally different crowd.

If you're interested in more pictures, the latest set is on my Flickr stream at 2010 Jefferson County Fair and you'll find prior year's sets in my Fairs and Festivals collection.