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Bar-B-Que and
More at The Great Darke County Fair
By Bob Robinson
After weeks of anticipation and, in some cases, months of preparation,
the Great Darke County Fair finally arrived. I didn’t make it to the
Grand Opening, but I assume it was rather wet. Rain was coming down
hard about ribbon-cutting time, so much so that the cheer contest was
moved to Greenville High School.
By 11 a.m. or so, the sun had come out and people were beginning to
crowd the fairways. Most vendors were open for business and the smell
of rib-eyes on the grill in front of the livestock Show Arena was
beginning to attract visitors from the surrounding barns.
A young lady was taking her pig out for a morning stroll. She has been
showing pigs for three or four years. Since I was aware of what would
happen on Wednesday evening, I asked her – as I have so many others –
how she was able to handle that…
“I cry,” she said. “I kind of become attached.”
“Then why do you do it?”
She thought for a minute, then said “It’s fun.” Dad noted the learning
aspects of responsibility, hard work, taking care of animals. He
smiled, nodding toward the pig.
“He’s like a dog… loves to go for a morning walk.”
The midway in front of the Grandstand was becoming increasingly
crowded. Some were smiling; most had that look of determination… places
to go and things to do.
The next two mornings, Kiwanians and Edison State students attempted to
control the influx of vendors, event participants and visitors at Gate
5. The dog events had been moved south of the main fairgrounds, so we
got barked at a lot when we checked passes on Saturday.
Gate 5 is the entrance gate for horse racing, tractor pulls, demolition
derby, and the Sunday entertainment… this year, Big & Rich. It’s
where, if you are around long enough, you get to see the huge
entertainment vans, visitors of all ages and sizes, and a mounted Darke
County Deputy Sheriff.
I didn’t know we had those.
Oops… almost forgot. The pig that was out for its Friday morning
stroll? Its name is Bar-B-Que. That seems appropriate, don’t you think?
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