NYC County Fair

This weekend, a real country county fair is coming to NYC. I happen to love county fairs. I grew up in the country, where during any given summer, I had several fairs to choose from. I preferred the Saratoga and Altamont fairs, but any combination of kitschy crafts, dangerous looking carnival rides, greasy food, and farm animals really makes me happy. Though I’ve gotten used to not being able to go every year, summer just doesn’t really feel like summer until I’ve gone to a county fair.

I still remember the thrills of being a little kid, getting an unlimited ride bracelet and running around going on everything from the Flying Spaceship (a spaceship shaped ride that spins around so fast you get sucked to the wall), and the Scrambler (sit in a little car and spin around and around and around, totally smushing people in the car with you), to the more tame Giant Wavy Slide and the House of Mirrors. It was fun for a whole day.

Though now that I’m a little older, I must admit, some of those rides I loved look like they might collapse at any moment, and the upside down ones sometimes have me fearing for my life. They’re still a good time for some cheap thrills, but now I love fairs more for the ridiculous food: fried dough, blooming onions, cotton candy! Oh my! And of course for the games---I kick butt at the popping balloons with darts game, and the shoot water at the clown’s mouth game—and the craft vendors.

I always thought that the closest thing NYC had to a fair of this type was the Feast of San Gennaro, which I attend every year, but lacks the full carnival aspect if a real fair.

Well I was wrong. This coming Sunday, NYC is putting on the 8th annual County Fair. It is complete with Clowns, Jugglers, Stilt Walkers, carnival rides, sideshow performers, a petting zoo, a green marker, fair games, and vendors galore. It’s all happening between 1 and 6pm at the Riverside Park on the Hudson between 68th and 72nd Streets. Check out this website for all the details. I can’t wait!