To keep my story brief, I left out the fact that she repeatedly tried to get him to try his hand at milking a pretend cow. He kept declining. As I remember the story, the expletives actually were incorporated as he and my mother were leaving the exhibition hall. Of course since my mother also grew up on a farm and did her own share of milking, slopping hogs, watering cows and pigs, etc., she thought it and his reaction were hysterical. She ribs him about it regularly. So now the story is longer. And he didn't cuss out the sweet young thing who had no concept of the amount of labor involved in living on a farm in the 1920s.

Any midwest fair will probably fit the bill. I can tell you about the MN and IA state fairs. At both fairs you will find animal barns, art and craft buildings, 4H buildings and much, much more. The differences? The MN fair is MUCH larger - in fact, it's the largest fair in the nation attendance wise (but not in land size - I think that honor goes to Texas). In fact, on weekend days it can get so crowded you literally have to turn sideways to get through the crowds. But there is more of everything - more food variety(everything you can imagine on a stick - including fried candy bars!), more music, more arts & crafts, etc.<BR><BR>But I frankly prefer the Iowa fair - primarily because it is smaller - you can see it all in one day, but it still has everything - including several air conditioned buildings to escape the usual heat. My "must sees" at the Iowa fair include, but are not limited to: the petting zoo, the butter sculptures (one year they sculpted Garth Brooks!), the seed "paintings" and the baby pigs (so cute!).

Have the Columbus news on right now.<BR>There was a ride accident at the Ohio State fair. Car came off ride with 2 people onboard.<BR>

The largest U.S. State Fair is the one previously mentioned in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Three states combine to produce the biggest U.S. event.<BR><BR>The largest State Fair put forth by one state alone is the Iowa State Fair, in Des Moines.<BR><BR>The oldest state fair is the Michigan State Fair, held in Detroit, Michigan and begins August 20.<BR><BR>Gotta' love the fairs!<BR><BR>Happy Trails,<BR>Paul

ttt

The Hookstown Fair will be going on from August 21-24 and this is located about 35 miles west of Pittsburgh, PA in the same state. It is always held around the same time too.<BR><BR>

I love the Illinois State Fair - in Springfield, IL. It is underway right now, and is fantastic! There are pig races, cow milking, harness racing, great food, Conservation World, Exhibition Buildings, 4-H entries and contests, etc.