The Spokane County Fair

Remember how I told you I didn't like the crap involved with the big fancy, smanchy fairs?  Well, I have official proof of the lameness of the big "fairs."  I was listening to my favorite country station early last week and they were giving away tickets to the fair and rodeo in Spokane and a free pizza.  I called in because I wanted to go to the rodeo and low and behold, I was caller nine.  Radio DJ:  You're caller 9!  Me:  What!  I'm caller #9!  (all in a high pitched scream)  DJ:  You're going to the rodeo and we have fair tickets for you and we're giving you a free pizza!  Me:  SCREAMING!  (I am soooo one of those people that the radio folks love winning!  I scream and squeal and between you and me it is a good thing I was parked at the mailbox or there could have been some crazy driving!)  Me:  Oh my gosh!  I love you guys!  You are my favorite radio station (no prompting needed)!  DJ:  Thanks for listening and we love you too!

This is the first time I have ever won anything on the radio.  I was beside myself!  I called Jerry and was screaming/squealing for him to turn on my favorite radio station (not his favorite by the way).  He was somewhat annoyed with my exuberance but turned it on just in time to hear the play back of me.  As I have mentioned before, Jerry doesn't really like the rodeo and fair as much as I do - but the free pizza was right up his alley!  So Friday afternoon came around and we had to go to the radio station in Spokane to pickup the tickets.  They closed at 5 p.m.  Now Jerry and I live in a fairly rural area.  We aren't used to "big" city traffic.  We left in what we thought would give us plenty of time to get to the station.  However, we didn't take into account the fact that A) neither of us are very familiar with Spokane and B) there is traffic there around 5 o'clock.  Well, we made it there at 4:55 p.m. and got the tickets and the free pizza.  WHEW!  

We got to the fairground, got parked and went in the gates.  I saw an A&W and Ivars and a sub shop.  This is when I knew I wasn't going to be impressed.  Fair food is supposed to be made by grandmas and Kiwanis people and 4H moms.  We did manage to find a Kiwanis Long Horn BBQ booth where we ate.  Then we went to check out the livestock exhibits.  I have never been so disappointed in my life.  There were maybe 25 hogs, 50 poultry exhibits, 40 goats - well you get the picture.  Here is this huge fair - with no animals.  My little county fair in Bonner county had more animals!   There were sooooo many empty cages and stalls.  It makes me sad to see that people care more about the commercial aspect than what a fair is truly meant for.  (Please note:  I did speak with a nice lady in the preserves area who knew her stuff and we had a very nice conversation about canning and freezing salsa.)  

The one really cool thing there at the fair was in the cattle barn.  There were Highland Cattle.  I really love this breed and am working on trying to convince my dad (an angus/limousine man) and my husband (a not-gonna-argue-with-dad kind of man) to give this breed a shot. 

Highland Cattle

After the disappointing walk through the livestock barns we went to grab our seats for the rodeo, which were fabulous seats!  The arena at the Spokane Fair grounds is surrounded by rail yards.  Pretty great back drop...  Especially when you consider the arena at the Bonner county fair is surrounded by huge pine trees and has the foothills of Schweitzer mountain as a backdrop.  Much more to my liking.  All in all - Jerry and I had a wonderful time together.  I am very thankful to my favorite radio station for the tickets and the free pizza!  I will tell you this though - if I had paid to go to this fair, because it was not cheap for the fair and the rodeo, I would have been very upset by the contents.

I am sharing the post at the Homestead Barn Hop.