As I begin my second year as a regular columnist I realize my tendency to let my column subjects be influenced by the events of the week leave me at the risk of repeating myself. But, as a born-and-raised Warren County boy, It feels almost unpatriotic to talk about anything but the Warren County A & L Fair when the second full week of September nears. So, here I am again writing about corn dogs and what I consider to be the best week to be a Warren countian.
While my wife and I don’t always mesh perfectly when it comes to how we prefer to spend our free time, the fair is one thing we each love equally. When the fair is in town, we spend most every free waking moment we have there and we eat every meal there. Now I realize perhaps our love of the fair goes a bit deeper than some but, in general, I think most locals have a special spot in their hearts for our fair that goes beyond anything you find in other counties.
My friend Cody Campbell, general manager of the Manchester Times, even recently published a story comparing the Coffee County Fair to Warren County’s and examining why our connection to our annual event seems to dwarf that of our neighbors to the south. One factor is certainly our status as one of the only free fairs in the state, something Warren County A & L Fair President Regan Kelsey says won't change. Depending on the day's events, tickets for the Coffee County Fair can be as high as $10 per person. But I believe the difference goes deeper than that. The fair is seen as an institution in Warren County, not just an event, so much so that it seems only natural schools take a holiday for the second Friday of the fair.
So, again, I issue my gratitude to Regan and to the entire Fair Board for the tireless effort, planning and, most importantly, love, they put into our local event to make it as special as it is. The Fair Board is made up of local people who truly love the community and the fair and that love comes through in the work they put into it each year.
On a personal note, I'm bracing myself for over a week of fair food. My wife’s annual fair food posts on social media (#ashleyeatsthefair) have developed quite a following and have made my annual corn dog consumption a matter of public record. I didn’t understand the full reach of her posts until I began hearing at least once per day from people I didn’t really know, “how many corn dogs are you up to now?” I think my record was around 25 corn dogs in one fair week. Age and metabolism are beginning to catch up to me so I think my corn dog count may be a little more subdued this year. One thing not subdued, however, is my love of the Warren County A & L Fair and I'm looking forward to the next nine days. I'll see y'all at the fair!
Standard Managing Editor Seth Wright can be reached at (931) 473-2191
