Otsego County Fair winds up with Sunday sundaes and packed rides
By Kevin Limiti • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
MORRIS — Loud screams filled the air at the entrance of the Otsego County Fair on the closing day, Sunday, Aug. 8, as thrill seeking people enjoy
ed the rides.
The smell of fried foods, the sound of vendors hawking blooming onions, elephant ears, funnel cakes and other types of fried fair food and the invitations by the game vendors to try your hand at a shooting games and ball throwing games permeated the atmosphere.
At the entertainment tent, people in Old West attire danced to the sounds of country and rockabilly. The line for the box office stretched around the corner and the sounds of the demolition derby was so loud that nothing could be heard in that radius.
The fair was crowded with all types of people, young and old. If it wasn’t for the news headlines, nobody would think that we are in the thralls of a pandemic. The pandemic was far from the minds of the people attending who were hoping for some fun and perhaps an escape from the daily drudgery of everyday life.
One couple from New Lisbon, who sat eating ice cream outside of the demolition derby event, said that they had been coming to the fair for almost 30 years.
“My grandson was pulling a truck last night,” Tarry Moore said in between bites from his sundae. “I can’t believe he’s old enough to do that.”
Barbara Moore said that coming to the fair had always been a family tradition.
“You meet people and you have different food,” Barbara Moore said.
Dan and Sam Goeldner and their son, Bishop, 6, had been coming here for three years.
Bishop said he had been on the carousel, the Ferris wheel and the fun house.
“I love it because it’s fun and there are lots of rides and I get to go on them,” he said.
The Otsego County Fair is a tradition that has been going on, in some form or fashion, since the late 19th century.
Canceled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, many fairgoers said they were happy to be back enjoying the Otsego County tradition.
