I was going to write about The Last Day of my beloved Fair when we got home last night, but we stayed a bit late. I also wanted the luxury of just taking a shower and going to bed. I still had to set an alarm this morning – the interior painters arrived at 8:00am and are currently making lots of masking tape noises in our bedroom.
Yesterday was a MUCH better fairing day.
We got to the Fairgrounds to open up the Gazebo and greet
the 3 volunteers. Then we were off to church. I’m pleased we kept that
priority while fairing!
I was greeted with such love and friendship by my church family! A number of them read my blog and follow my fairing on social media. I got hugs and commiseration and encouragement. They were just the boost I needed to fair well on the last day and not let Day 9 be the definition of this year’s Fair. Thank you, church family!! You ROCK!
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| Nothing says love quite like a Church Cookie |
The fairgrounds were busy for the last day – and got more so
over the course of the day – but they weren’t nearly as whackadoodle crowded as
Saturday. The consensus of all the Fair peeps I talked to was that Saturday was
ridiculous. I wasn’t the only one – by far – who had a rough day. Just part of
the roller coaster of 10 Days of Fair.
Rob and I caught most of the 2:00pm Tuff Trucks show. With the disappearance of my favorite Demolition Derby, the Tuff Trucks is now my favorite dirt sport. I love that the participants are mostly local testosterone running their dirty rigs around an obstacle course. Pickups and Jeeps of various sorts are most common. But there’s also the occasional Subaru, minivan, and Saturn.
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| One of our painters just identified this for me as a Saturn Ion. Click here to see a video of the floppy hood racing around the track! And click here to see a minivan blow its rear tire. SO MUCH FUN! |
By design, Rob and I had the very last shift in the Gazebo. Hanging out together in the Gazebo is a wonderful way to end 10 days of fairing. We quietly watched the last excitement walk by. We helped kids get their “last chance” Beanie Babies. We watched the llamas and alpacas trot out of the Llama Greenway to head home. We said goodbye to Mina, our favorite Clark County Fire District 6 employee who checked in with us each day, commiserated about Fair Food Finds, and never did complete a Passport.
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| I never get tired of watching llamas trot! Click here to see the short parade! |
Marketing Maven Jenny stopped by towards the end of the shift to gather supplies and share hugs and deep sighs of relief. After being in the Fair Trenches with each other for two years now, I am pretty sure we are friends for life.
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| We laughed, we cried, we waved, we hugged, we texted. We had a blast together! Love you, Jenny! |
After we closed up the Gazebo for the last time in 2026, Rob and I grabbed dinner (wow, what an awful corn dog!), stopped by to say goodbye to our Smashers friends (even got a hug from one of the kids!), gave a high-five to Tosha in the Potato Smashers booth with promises to visit her at her restaurant in La Center (Podunk Pizza), and hung out with our friends Ali and Terri in the Sewing & Clothing Department.
Ali and Terri had a LONG night ahead of them, tearing down the displays and organizing all the entries and ribbons for easy retrieval by the participants. As tired as I am this morning, I cannot begin to imagine how exhausted all the exhibitors are. Just as the Fairgoers leave, the hard work of Tear Down begins.
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| Us with Ali in the adorable and super fun board SHE PAINTED!! Yes, she is starting to pursue a career in artistry. YAY! Click here to see her website-in-progress. |
There weren’t any tears on the way home last night. There were a few wistful moments throughout the day, though. I took a moment in the Grandstands to remember how desperately I missed the crowd and the excitement during those confusing, isolated, strange days of Covid when my beloved Fair was cancelled.
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| Afternoon Tuff Trucks crowd. Pretty sure the only reason it wasn't at capacity was some of the seats were in the sun. |
I listened mindfully as Rob and I strolled the Midway
holding hands, taking in the murmur of fair voices and carnival screams and
booth music. I stared at the ramshackle Gazebo that was my home-away-from-home
and laser focus for 10 days, thanking it for the escape from heavier stresses
of life…even on Day 9 when I resented it for stealing my Fair Joy. I watched
families exit the Green Gate as I waited for my Fair Finale Elephant Ear,
wondering what it would be like to merely attend my beloved Fair…and being
deeply grateful I get to be a part of it instead.
I will post one final Fair 2026 blog later this week, once I’ve
rested a bit, done some laundry, and the paint fumes are gone.
FAIR FOOD FEAST PARADE!
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| Pastrami Sandwich from the Church Ladies Pie Stand. Perfection. |
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| Pineapple Strawberry Smasher. Oddly, the Strawberry made the coconut in the Pineapple more pronounced. I decided I didn't need that much coconut. It was fine, but I'll remember not to blend the Pineapple next year. |
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| Tuff Trucks Red Vines. I had some for breakfast this morning since I need to go grocery shopping. |
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| Raspberry Caramel milkshake! A delicious combination I learned about last year from a Fair Queen. Royalty knows stuff! |
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| Horrible corn dog from the Smokehouse Booth. To be fair, it was the last hours on the last day. But...ick. Burned corn dog is not appetizing. |
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| Fair Finale Elephant Ear from the Chuck Wagon near the Green Gate. Buttery and douse with sugar and cinnamon. Perfect ending to The Fair. |
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