BUCYRUS — The Crawford County Fair begins its 162nd run Sunday at the fairgrounds in Bucyrus.
From sheep scrambles to truck pulls to demolition derbies to baking competitions, counties fairs — for generations — have traditionally offered up something for just about everyone.
Families and animals have already started moving into the fairground lots and buildings.
By next Saturday, the fair will have offered up a smorgasbord of sights, smells, sounds, textures and tastes.
Many of our best memories are triggered by our senses, something we smell, or taste …all of our senses. And in the next seven days, more memories will be made thanks to the goings-on in and around the Crawford County Fairgrounds.
For many, senses are heightened as soon as they pull into one of the fair’s grass parking lots.
If the weather is hot and dry, the first thing you see and smell is the dust, with just a hint of flavored oil underneath.
If it rains — and past history suggests it will rain hard on at least a couple of days next week — the parking lots smell of wet grass, and mold, which a whole different aroma … and not always so pleasant.
By Sunday morning, the sights sounds and smells of the fair will be evident throughout the Whetstone Street area. Visitors — and some neighbors — will be able to hear horses whinnying, cows mooing, pigs oinking and lots of children laughing.
The smells at a county fair also is something to behold, from Italian sausage and onions frying on a 400 degree flat-top; to dough being turned into funnel cakes in 350 degree oil; to french fries coated with vinegar, ketchup and salt, to fresh hay — and some not so-fresh hay — fairs are filled with all manner of scents and aromas.
Maybe you’ll get a chance to pet a rabbit, or stroke the smooth, wiry back of a huge black steer.
If you look around, you’ll see 4H members in their finest equestrian attire riding and and showing their horses. There will be kids showing off sewing projects and adults showing off their cooking and flower-arrangement skills.
Pick up one of the Crawford County Fair books and pick out a show or three to watch that you’ve not seen before.
Try something different this year. Make a new memory.
Here is a list of some of the more popular events, but there are so many other things to experience.
The Stock Truck Pull is Sunday at 5 p.m.
The popular calf scramble is Monday night, starting at 7 p.m. Also Monday, starting at 7 p.m. is a Chicken Scramble, for some of the fair’s younger visitors, and the Sheep Scramble. They are fun for the participants, but even more fun for those watching
Up-and-coming country singer Julia Neville will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. From Logan, Ohio, Neville grew up with a dream of becoming a country singer and now her reputation has spread from southeast Ohio to Nashville, Tennessee. Her story is one of achievement and accomplishment in the face of the harshest types of adversity a child can face. As a child, she was abused by a relative. During that time in her life she did have one hero and role model … her mother.
Julia was very active in school and got involved in as many other activities as she could handle. She determined that nothing was going to break her and turned her attention to her music. Determined to encourage women through music, Julia started on a path that would lead to fulfilling one of her long time childhood dreams, being a country singer.
Two days of harness racing and pari-mutuel betting get started Wednesday and Thursday evening, starting at 5:30 p.m. each day.
The OSTA Tractor Pull starts at 7 p.m. Friday and the always-interesting Demolition Derby wraps up the week’s entertainment, beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday.
