Well, we’ve been helping to get the word out that the Muskegon County Fair is going on this week out at the storied Muskegon County Fairgrounds. Today’s day and age…it’s busy. There’s a new “shiny penny” around every corner it seems when it comes to what there is to entertain us, amuse us and keep us “together”. However, all of those shiny pennies….do they really do that? Is tradition and the idea of something a little more slow paced…a little more down home…a little more hands on…is that tradition important to protect? You best believe it.
We arrived about the time the rodeo was getting started. We slipped in the South Gate of the property to get in and get to work so seeing the front parking wasn’t part of the entry for us. Upon first glance, the carnival midway was pretty empty. The food lines were not long and over all, I thought…”Well, it’s a Tuesday, probably going to get busier as the week goes on.” Not my first event, I wasn’t panicking. As we strolled the grounds, I got a look over toward the presentation area. That pretty much explained where the crowd was. They were showing beef. The cows were huge, the seats were packed and the crowd was focused on the activity as if they were watching a field goal kick to decide the Superbowl. Ok, there’s the people. Understandable about the empty midway. Mosey along a little further, sounded like the rodeo was getting underway….let’s go take a look. Literally not a seat left in the grandstands. The atmosphere was like a rock concert….or country and the thousands there ready for some action…all pumping with adrenaline and fired up. Tuesday night….as someone who’s been around large events and crowds his entire working life….between camping, grandstands and those roaming the property…I’d conservatively bet 6000-7500 people there. That my friends is a slam dunk.
The visuals…in the shady settings of the Muskegon County Fairgrounds. The rides, the food vendors…the young people and all of their work into crafts, raising animals and their handiwork with culinary and ag science projects. The commitment of “fair families” to one another and their respective categories and competitions. Everyone helps everyone. It’s truly a community effort from the head of it all to the kid that’s there for the first time and the relaxed pace. It felt as if I was in one of those movies from back when where you see the perfect situation to be a teen with no worries, everything you love in one spot and maybe even the emergence of noticing that, in my case…girls ain’t so creepy anymore. Those early feelings that are attached to youth. It was really nice to see. Those kinds of feelings come out best when kids feel safe, supported and that they are being recognized for their accomplishments. That my friends is the deep secret of the importance of the Muskegon County Youth Fair, and any other county fair in the USA. Those kids are equally our future as the STEM kids are.
Nancy Smith joins us today for the chat about a day at the fair. She’s the Assistant Director of it all and her heart it totally committed to this event and these kids and families. We cannot thank her enough for the direction and assistance in meeting our fair competitors leading up to the event and joining us for the chat about the fair over all, and what’s still yet to come until July 25th….when it goes quiet once again….and we look forward to 2027.
