Something to Crow About

In the small town of Canfield, Ohio where I grew up and currently live, there’s an exciting event that puts us on the map each year: The Canfield Fair. As the calendar turns to September, there is a lot of anticipation for the smells, sounds, and sights of our beloved fair that takes place on Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, this year our fair is added to the casualty of canceled events, but most that have visited have good memories to carry us through to next year.

The Canfield Fair is the largest county fair in Ohio. The first one took place in 1846 when the local Agricultural Society decided there needed to be more awareness of farming in our area.  Fast forward 132 years later to 1978, my 10-year-old self was not focused on farming and agronomics, but celebrating the last few days of summer vacation before the start of school.

The anticipation of the five-day event grew among my neighborhood friends. Would we ride the double Ferris wheel or who would dare go on the Zipper?  Should we play Mr. Lucky’s penny game or make “spin art,” the take-home splattered paint craft?  How much money would our parents dish out for these treats? 

On opening day we biked to the fairgrounds filled with excitement! The scent of cotton candy and french fries always welcomed us, as did the carnival barkers luring us to play a game and win a prize. We were thrilled when we carried home a stuffed animal or an etched mirror with a cool band logo on it.  If we had a couple of extra bucks, we were fascinated and terrified to see if the sword swallower or snake lady really existed inside those secretive tents along the mid–way.

The booths and stands are seemingly endless, sprawled out across the 350 acres that make up the fairgrounds. Occasionally our group would disperse and wander. Of course, cell phones didn’t exist, but we were glad we had the Sound Tower to help us find our separated friends. For a quarter, you could scribble a message on a slip of paper and have your memo broadcasted over the sound system throughout the fairgrounds. Most notices announced friends’ names to meet at a specific vantage point or the Big Rock, the huge landmark boulder in the fairgrounds. Occasionally you would also hear a silly message like, “Please meet Rachel at the Grandstand. Danny needs money for a corn dog!” For years, my dad and many of his friends volunteered their time to broadcast these messages. As an awkward teenager, I would wince when I heard my dad’s distinct voice booming through the grounds, complete with voice inflections, calling out familiar classmates’ names.

My reflective fair memories also spill over with the Grandstand shows and events. The line up of stars never disappoints. Imagine my surprise during Bob Hope’s comedy show when he cracked a joke towards our family when my fair balloon popped during the show! The Osmond Family concert was another performance I will never forget. The youngest of the famous family, Jimmy Osmond, while singing a ballad, picked me out of the crowd, took me by the hand, and with the spotlight on the two of us, sang to me followed by a sweet kiss. Wow! My teenage self was enamored by that event for weeks! 

Those of us that grew up in Canfield have vivid memories of the fair, like the smell of DiRusso’s sausage simmering with peppers and onions, the sounds of people and kids laughing on Kiddie Land rides, and the sight of the fair at night with the beautiful neon lights against the backdrop of an early fall sunset. I’ll be thinking about you, Canfield Fair, on what would have been your 174th event. Come back soon, we miss you!