A real Maine fair....

There are a ton of country fairs in Maine: Starting late in the summer, you have, in succession, Skowhegan, Bangor State, Windsor, Litchfield, and many others. For us though, the FairOfAllFairs is the Clinton Lion's Fair. It is a true country agricultural fair sponsored by the Lions. There are rides, yes, but that is not the focus. They give awards to canned goods (obviously we love this), biggest vegetables, best cattle, prettiest poultry, and more. There are the best foods and the most bizarre backwoods people you will ever see.

This year we went on Saturday, in the afternoon, right after Callum's soccer game. For us, the Clinton Fair is truly the 'end of the summer.' Thank God. I hate summer....

Things were a bit different this year, as Callum showed no fear of going on rides. For the most part. Both Callum and Maira had ambitious dreams in attempting the ALLIGATOR ROLLERCOASTER (a kiddie ride...but still loud and a rollercoaster). It is sad and at the same time hilarious to watch your kids on a ride, that you cant stop, while they cry and scream and turn different shades of purple....

Growing up, my mom conditioned me to believe that 'fair rides' were NEVER EVER to be ridden on. I wonder if this was some type of Southie lore, like the boy who raised his hand to hit his mom and then God turned him to stone......and, if that boy went on a ride at the Brockton Fair he surely would die.....something like that...haha. But my mom was always of the train of thought that rides at fairs were hastily put together and would undoubtedly break and whomever was on them would definitely die a slow, painful, popcorn/cotton candy scented death as they were crushed, fatally, by an upset tilt-a-whirl. 

So, as a kid, we were confined, instead, to Canobie lake park.....

I swear I am not acting out any type of rebellion or anything....I just didnt see any 'high risks' with the rides the kids went on: Merry Go Round, motorcycle-go-round, etc...

The purple one....obviously....and he went on this twice. Maira and Mommy rode on the fire truck...

I think we went on this four times or something like that....it was hilarious watching Maira give the tickets to the chromosomedly challenged ride clerk... both kids kept saying how excited they were to ride the one at Santa's Village this coming weekend, when they can ride on DEER and not horsies!!

#flatbrimmedbears #cantstopwontstop

The Clinton Fair has #hundredsoffoods and is a dream come true for Jezsin and Thaim: KingsofFoods. Between me, Amanda, the kids, Lin, and Gorge, there must have been roughly 20K calories consumed. Maybe. Idk guy, Idk. I know that I had a) sausage with peppers and onions b) half of a blooming onion c) one of the donuts pictured below (about half of it) which the photo does not do justice: The donut must have been 8 inches in diameter....

Sally had the sausage and the funnelcake (pictured below). Funnelcake is like fried dough. MairaBeth had this Hawaiian Ice, which was LEGIT! At 3 bucks, probably the best value of icy goodness, shaved, saturated in a flavor of your choice! Killim had half a corn dawg, some of everyone's everything, and a candy apple. I think Lin and Gorge had the same as well. I REALLLLLY miss the man who used to be there with the smoqued turkey legs....

And Callum, after MUCH deliberation and inner turmoil and doubt decided to ride his first pony!! He loved it!! The pony's name is Moonshine and Callum named the 4 foot long bright red inflatable shark he 'won' at the 'duck fishing' game Moonshine in order to commemorate the event. Also, while Callum was on his SECOND ride of Moonshine, Moonshine stopped to hang a root/mold an action figure/eat backwards/drop a heat stick

so, yeah