Elliott Day at the Ohio State Fair

You know the drill. Every year about this time it has become a tradition for the Elliott Family to make their way to the Ohio State Fair. We basically arrive at the same gate and take the same route like clockwork. One comforting thing about the OSF is that it rarely changes. So if you go back through previous posts about my adventures there, you are likely to see some of the same photographs as you will today. I seem to like this continuity, this heritage that I share with my family and with the community at large -- even when most of them are coming from the far reaches of rural Ohio.




I was a bit disappointed in the butter sculpture this year, if only because in addition to the usual cow, they just has another cow, a little girl, and an old man. How I miss the days when they would make something topical to go along with the cow. The year they did the Ohio President's Mt. Rushmore was a highlight. At least they couldv'e attempted a Michael Jackson tribute. There may have been outrage though.




I stumped the Guess Your Age guy -- who is a bit lippy and crude this year. He said 26. I'm 32. Ha. I took home a gold framed MJ Tribute poster. This is the only reason I did this. Jokes about Steve Martin in the jerk started up just like they do every year. "I see. It's a profit deal."




Masters of the Chainsaw. Somewhat boring, unless you have plenty of time on your hands. My uncle apparently did, and threw his annual "Shiloh" fit as we dragged him away. It was going to be raccoons Uncle Jeff.




A new addition this year was the introduction of the nation's soon to be premier sport -- Mutton Bustin'. Just take adventurous boys under 10 years old and under 60 pounds, strap them to a aging sheep, and set them loose rodeo style. This was hilarious, for about five minutes, then it became redundant. Adam said he would've done this at 3, but we all failed to believe that.

Here's the footage I caught. I need a video camera. Any donations?




And of course, our tour ends with Midway art. There's so much of it. I could likely produce a whole coffee table book on the subject by now. The King Diamond/Alanis Morrisette? portraits side by side blew me away. And the Gravitron, best fair ride ever. A piece of art in and of itself.







Till next year.