The Central States Fair kicked off yesterday. You’ve been able to see the preparations for a couple of weeks as the campground filled up, the vendors started to set up their booths and there was a lot of extra activities around the main gate and the arena. Now the fair is in full swing. The Carnival Americana has all of the rides set up and the bright lights and sounds fill the area. The grandstands fill up for the bands and other entertainers. The fair features a big barbecue festival, horse and livestock events, auctions, rodeos, a demolition derby and a lot more. It is a big deal.

I used to attend the fair every year. I grew up in Montana, which like South Dakota, had two big regional fairs. The official State Fair was held in Great Falls, but the Yellowstone Exhibition in Billings was often bigger and drew larger crowds. It was 80 miles to Billings for that fair, but we almost always got in at least one day at the fair. And, once I became a teen, I worked at my uncle and cousin’s farm and so was in the Great Falls area at State Fair time.

I still like to wander among the livestock and look at the show animals. The judging areas for food and gardening and art are worth a visit. But I’m not as big on riding all of the carnival rides as was once the case. And I no longer feel that I have to be in the audience for Chis Cagle, Joe Diffie, Diamond Rio, Smashmouth and Finger Eleven, Justin Moore and Little Texas. I’d enjoy walking through the antique tractor and motor display, but I probably should steer away from the upside down cake showdown, the funnel cake and some of the other food booths.

One of the unique features of the Central States Fair is the German Tent and Sommerfest. There’ll be plenty of beer as the polka bands fire up for dancing and just plain socializing. The German Tent is a really big tent, about a half block long, and it fills to brimming on weekends.

I don’t have the excitement about the fair that I once had, but I expect that there are plenty of people who are glad to be a part of the events and there are plenty of teens who have passes to ride all of the rides at the carnival.

Unlike the fairs of my youth, the Central States Fair goes on for ten days. A full week plus two weekends of activities will keep the crowds coming.

One of the things about living in the place that is a vacation destination for so many people is that we sometimes fail to realize how good we have it every day. There are plenty of people who saved all year for two weeks in the hills. I put my canoe into a Black Hills reservoir three or four times a week most weeks. My contact with the beauty of the hills isn’t confined to vacation. A similar thing occurs with the events in town. There is good entertainment every week in Rapid City. We can hear live music in Main Street Square every Thursday all summer long. There is the emerging artists’ series at the Dahl. Concerts and events fill the Civic Center. Live drama and plays are often available. There are all kinds of things to do in our town that folks from other places drive in to see. We, who live here, take those things for granted.

Perhaps it is a sign of age, or perhaps it has always been part of my personality, but I don’t find myself attracted to crowds. If everyone is headed in one direction, I find myself heading in the other direction. I didn’t go to Sturgis at all during the Rally. I might not make it to the fairgrounds at all during the fair. I’m not sure yet. There is plenty to attract me, but there is plenty to attract me in other places as well. I’m sure that I’ll be paddling at the lake some of the mornings during the fair, but I don’t know yet whether I’ll brave the crowds and check out the sites of the fair this year.

The Average German Band will draw a crowd whether or not I head down to the fairgrounds.

Still, I enjoy living in a place with such diverse opportunities for entertainment, activities and getting together with our neighbors.



There are a few other creatures that won’t be attending the fair this year. I’ve been watching the same young beaver for weeks at the lake. He doesn’t like people and he’ll slap his tail and head underwater if I approach too closely. The great blue herons at the lake are also solitary critters. They keep a wary eye on me and will fly away if I approach too closely. I’ve learned to keep my distance if I want to observe these beautiful animals. The carefully groomed heifers and steers at the fair don’t have anything on the creatures in the wild. They are all beautiful and worth taking time to observe. Sometimes I think that the critters at the fair are a little embarrassed to be so shampooed and gussied up. Perhaps they are just waiting for it to be all over. Most of them haven’t been told what awaits them after the auction.

The bottom line is that there is something for everyone in the hills this weekend. If you like crowds, there will be crowds. If you like solitude, there is solitude to be found. If you want to ride the wild rides and dance a jig those possibilities await. If you want to hike a trail or paddle a canoe, you can do so.

We truly are fortunate to live in such a wonderful place. Our out of town guests know how lucky we are, but we sometimes don’t take time to notice.

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