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Empty
chairs sit in front of the Darke County Fair Grandstand, some since
early July,
awaiting their occupants.
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Great Darke County Fair
The story of the
chairs at the fair
Lawn chairs, sometimes five deep, stand in front of the Grandstand on
the Darke County Fairgrounds. They have been there, some since
early July, empty, just waiting, waiting for August 21 and the opening
of the Great Darke County Fair.
Now, they have some occupants, people enjoying the passing fair goers,
observing the little eccentricities of human behavior. In past
years, some pass most of their Fair time there. Others collapse
in their reserved seats when walking the midways becomes too much
work. However, this 2015 Fair week, the temperatures have been
cooler, too cool most of the time to sit comfortably and watch the
changing scene that is the main midway of the Darke County Fair..
By 1 o’clock, all of the chairs are out of the sun, so they usually
offer a cool place to rest and cool off. This year
many of the chairs remain unoccupied. But those hardy souls who
have clung to the tradition despite the temperatures had comments to
make about this Darke County Fair tradition.
Those questioned noted that they had never known a chair to be stolen
or replaced. Such is the caliber of Darke County ethics in the
mind of this writer!
One of the chair owners, Rose, talked enthusiastically about her
experiences sitting in front of the Grandstand, year after year.
She places her chair there the second week in July. She said most
are retired and enjoy talking to each other whom they know well from
past years, as well as watching fair patrons and their families passing
in front of them. Rose said that she had sat in her favorite chair in
the same spot, year after year, until it finally wore out and
collapsed. She quickly bought a new one so she could still have
her favorite place to enjoy the passing scene.
Another patron, enjoying the company of friends, each in their own
chairs, gave the same opinion as Rose. He thinks the chair
tradition began as early as the 1970’s and has grown to the size it is
today. Once in a while, one might find a tired Fair visitor
sitting in your chair to rest, but that person always gives it up when
the chair owner arrives and that is just fine with that chair
sitter. He also said that once a chair is placed, no one moves
it, so his is always in place.
Another commented that when she was younger, she thought these chairs
were just there for the old folks. Now, she said, she gets her
chair here early so she has a place to see friends and relatives,
usually the only time of year they see each other.
They are a fun group, the Darke County Fair chair sitters and have
developed a real community that happens only ten days a year but they
all look forward to it and make sure their chairs are in good shape for
the happy experience.
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Rose,
in her new chair in front of the Grandstand, placed it there in mid
July.
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Long
time chair sitters attest to the integrity of Darke County in that
their
chairs are never moved or stolen.
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