Down Home & Absolutely Fabulous: The Ohio State Fair & Dolly Parton

Double the pleasure, double the fun: The Ohio State Fair & Dolly Parton

There was a brief time in my life, a bit cocksure and a lot less wise than I thought, when I felt I was too cool for the fair, no matter what its incarnations. I had graduated from the entry-level spin-laden midway rides to greater G-forces, the food was the same old burgers and dogs and lemonades, and the musical acts seemed geared to people much older than I.

The passage of time has a way of changing attitudes, and I am no exception - I have returned to the notion that the fair is one of the coolest things around.

Sure, some things remain the same, and The Ohio State Fair, in existence since 1850, has plenty of those elements. From the old school midway games to the marching band parades every few hours to arts and crafts competitions across all fields, these institutions have become the traditions that provide the base structure of the modern day event. And yes, every opportunity to raise your cholesterol a few points still remains an option at every food booth you see.

For me, the human element has become the most appealing aspect of the fair, whether it be the earnest efforts of children participating in their 4-H or Scouting activities, or the sometimes spectacular arts and crafts produced in that year's competitions, or the whimsical sets of the local train club and the wide-eyed kids watching a miniature B&O-styled locomotive line whiz by.

One Hot Prince and the Man in Black

Grimey's, located in Nashville's Edgehill neighborhood, provided us
the chance to look at new and used music alike

"Fifty-two!"

Prior to that beckon, my spouse and I had engaged in a combo of toodling on our mobile phones and conversing  over past and future vacation plans. At this point, the latter was diminishing rapidly, but we wanted to make our final hours of freedom in Nashville worthwhile.

My senses, already aroused by the scent of fried foods for the last 40 minutes or so, jumped to attention. The sales ticket indeed matched the number, and I hungrily rambled from our seat to the front counter.

"You ordered the extra hot?" I could feel owner André Prince Jeffries' eyes peering into me.

I nodded, "Yep, one extra hot and an extra extra hot."

"Good. I wanna' keep my eye on you," she replied, "to see if your head explodes."