This weekend serves as the unofficial send-off for summer. 

There are always wide smiles and calendars bursting with vacation plans when Memorial Day arrives in May. The possibilities seem endless with weekend trips and a few longer excursions on the horizon.

Labor Day weekend is the other end of the spectrum, a time when water fun is toweling off and sunscreen starts making its way to the back of the closet.

We all know this year has been different. After this summer, I feel like the cartoon of the kid standing in front of the classroom. He's holding a blank piece of paper as the teacher says, "Now tell the class what you did this summer."

What will be known as the summer of cancellations now appears destined to stretch into the fall. I say this as we're officially one week away from the start of the Warren County A&L Fair. Rather, we're one week away from what would have been the start.

Not having the fair is going to be like a fall from the Ferris wheel. It's like a part of our community has been bucked from the saddle and trampled by a walking horse. It's like we've been punched in the face behind The Himalaya.

Fair week has always been a special time in Warren County. It's been said the rest of the community shuts down during fair week because everyone gravitates to the fairgrounds. Law enforcement officials realize this fact too as they capitalize on fair week to serve warrants on people who have otherwise been elusive.

With no fair, I think we're all  going to need a little direction. Where are we going to see all the people we only see once a year at the fair? Where are we going to see young ladies in pageant dresses beaming their smiles?

Where are we going to see unwashed carnies hollering for us to throw darts at balloons for a chance to win a Mr. T mirror? OK, so maybe I can do without that.

On balance, the only person who will probably approve of the fair cancellation is my doctor. Now that I'm getting a little bit older, I'd say it's not wise to have Dr Pepper and cotton candy for dinner. I'm at a time in my life where I don't need to eat a daily funnel cake and chase it with RC.

Outside of the obvious dietary benefits, I can't think of any other positives from not having a fair. No rides, no music, no chicken house. No fun.

During this pandemic, a common rallying cry I've often heard is a desire for things to return to "normal." To be honest, there are many of these so-called normal parts of life I'd just as soon do without. And, based on things I've seen over the years, it's probably smart for all of us to wear a mask whenever we're in Walmart -- and a smock too.

But the Warren County A&L Fair is not one of the things I want to let go. I want to hold on tight like a ride on The Scrambler and embrace the dizzying good times.

Standard editor James Clark can be reached at 473-2191.