If you haven’t read The Winchester Sun this week, you may not be aware of all the fun going on at the Clark County Fair. It always brings back memories.

My husband Eric told me when he was in high school, he was asked to be on the fair board to represent the agriculture department. He spent many years showing cattle and going to the county and state fairs. The fair was always an exciting time for him. His mom made him a blanket out of the ribbons he won from participating in the fairs. He can look back at the blanket and relive the memories.

I used to participate a lot more when I had my children. It was always fun to get things together and take to the fair to see how many ribbons we could win.

I still remember the excitement of my oldest daughter Kim getting her calf ready for the fair and getting to know him so well. He was named “Kim’s Kiddville Kaptain.”

Kim was all smiles that day until it hit her she would not be taking “Kiddville Kaptain” home with her and he would be going to someone’s dinner table.

Later, she and her sister Shanda enjoyed the rides and seeing other friends at the fair. We stayed at the fair until we were totally worn out.

I still have the picture where they dressed up in earlier times clothing and got their picture taken late in the day at the fair. The picture shows two very tired little girls that night. I think they both fell asleep in the car on the ride home. What a fun day it had been for them.

The fair is something the whole family can enjoy. I try to make sure I go at least one night. I would suggest if you have little ones to keep an eye on them closely. This should go without saying but every year I see little ones roaming off from their parents. I guess I am just an overprotective person. If I do not see my grandchildren, I panic.

Whatever your passion is, you can usually find it at the county fairs. For some it may be the beauty pageants, the tractor pull, demolition derby, truck mud run, the horse show or the livestock exhibits. There are all kinds of games for children. You still have time to make it to the fair. The fair takes the whole county to make it a good fair.

Do not forget to go into the exhibit building and see the beautiful displays of the talent in our county. The homemakers and 4-H exhibits are worth visiting the building. Thanks to all the workers who keep an eye on the exhibits nightly.

I used to send all kinds of canned food and trays of garden food to the fair. When the fair came to town, we were ready.

This year, I sent a picture of my grandson Hayden when he was barely 3-years-old and I had taken him to Fort Boonesborough. I had gotten him some candy and told him to eat only one piece.

He was right by my side when all of a sudden I could not find him. There was a barrel to my left. When I walked forward three steps, I saw him hunched down on the other side of the barrel opening a piece of candy I had told him not to eat. I snapped a picture. It is my favorite picture of him.

It was at that time I gave him a lecture about how you can not hide and do something wrong because you will always be found out. He learned even if I had not seen him, someone bigger than me would be watching him.

He still asks me if he can eat something before he takes it. I finally told him when he got older you can eat what you want. His Momma has done such a good job teaching him to eat healthy I do not have to worry about him drinking too many sodas.

There is one thing I have learned through the years at the fair: You will not see this woman on another fair ride. I finally told my grandchildren to not even ask me. It is not going to happen. I get sicker than a Polly parrot who got into the bourbon.

After walking around the rest of the evening in a daze I finally learned there comes a time in your life you have to give a few things up. Fair rides, for me, is one of them.

I will enjoy the fair in other ways though even if it is to sit on a bench and people watch. I must admit I love the Clark County Fair.

Sue Staton is a Clark County native who grew up in the Kiddville area. She is a wife, mother and grandmother who is active in her church, First United Methodist Church, and her homemakers group, Towne and Country Homemakers.