National Geographic Society
P.O. Box 98199
Washington, DC 20090-8199
800-647-5463
Lat/Lon: 38.90531943278526, -77.0376992225647
Inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888
RSS Syndication
I got busted at the milk shake stand at my first state fair. My father had dropped me off along with my prize hog at the Salem fairgrounds for the Oregon State Fair’s livestock competition. He paid for a week’s food and lodging in the 4-H dorm and went to visit his parents for the day. When he returned, we went to the Dairy Bar. It came time to pay for my milk shake. I was broke. My father asked what I’d done with all the money he gave me. I confessed I’d spent it all in two hours on the bumper cars.
Garrison Keillor would have understood. “The state fair,” he writes in this month’s feature, “is a ritual carnival marking the end of summer … and the start of school and higher algebra and the imposition of strict rules.” Strict rules are for later. The state fair is about now—and the chance for a 12-year-old to cut loose before a new school year. With corn dog in hand (to eat food with two hands is one of the ten top joys of a state fair, Keillor observes), I was strolling down the boardwalk when the bumper cars called. I got behind the wheel. Time and quarters raced away.
Extreme centrifugal force is number two on Keillor’s list of state fair joys. He mentions the double Ferris wheel and flume ride. Sissy stuff. I’ll take the bumper cars every time.
Photo: Joel Sartore With Charles Rash
Subscribe to RSS feed
Ancestry.com
Buy NG Photos
Special Issues
Comments
Jun 15, 2009 1PM #
Hi Chris,
The state fairs story was great. I say: More Joel Sartore & Garrison Keillor! And more U.S.-based stories too.
One question for you: If state fairs are a "'ritual carnival marking the end of summer... and the start of school,'" why was this story about state fairs published at the beginning of summer and the end of the school year? Seems odd.
Would love to hear your thoughts.
all the best,
Alan
Jun 15, 2009 1PM #
Hi Chris -
The first week you worked at the Seattle Times - a bezillion years ago - you and I were sent on assignment to cover the Puyallup Fair. You hadn't been to a fair in awhile and insisted on getting scones and seeing some animals before we got to work. As the "cub" reporting intern, I was in awe of being on assignment with a national photographer of the year. We had a couple other assignments before I left the paper, and I followed your work for NG in Africa for many years. Fond memories of the start of my career that began with a trip to the fair! The career adventure you've taken since then is inspiring to those of us in your "fan club". May your life be blessed with as many scones and ferris wheel rides as your heart desires. Thanks for keeping the window to world wide open for us through NG.
Sherry Dawley / Seattle
Jun 15, 2009 1PM #
Hi Chris,
Don't know if you saw this, but I figure it might be of interest:
http://bit.ly/ep9Mh
Would love to hear your thoughts.
all the best,
Alan
Jun 15, 2009 1PM #
At the risk of sounding like a snob or a curmudgeon, the only thing worse than going to the state fair is to run into Garrison Keillor at the state fair. You can keep both of them.
Jun 15, 2009 1PM #
I've never been to a state fair but after reading about state fair experiences by Garrison Keillor and you, I think I might just go to one!
I think it's a place where anyone doesn't have to impress anyone. It's a state fair for goodness sakes! After all this is where everyone meets and it doesn't matter whether you smell like "(citrus deodorant, sweat and musk, bouquet of beer, hair oil, stale cigar, methane)"!
Post a Comment