The Richmond Fair brings back a lot of memories for me. As a child, it was the single most exciting event of the fall. We would bundle up in our rain gear (inevitably, it always rains on Richmond Fair Parade day), and head to my grandparents house. They lived so close to the parade route that we could have seen it from their front yard.
Alas, my brother and I would make our way to the 'main drag' and stand on the sidewalk like everyone else in the town that day.
Grandpa always marched with the Legion parade, and it always made me so proud to see him, dressed in his finest. We would always wave at him, knowing that he couldn't wave back... but he let us know he saw us with a wink or a smirk!
After the parade was over, we'd head down to the fair grounds. My mom, grandma and I would usually go through the craft tents/exhibits and look at the giant pumpkins, or the prize-winning quilts. After that, we checked out the petting zoo and I would occasionally take a ride on the ponies.
My favourite part of the fair was riding on The Scrambler with my mom. It was one of the few rides she agreed to go on, and I loved being squished up against her as the buckets felt like they were going to fly off their hinges!
Last, and certainly not least, we would stop at the fudge stand. The Richmond Fair has the BEST fudge in the entire world. The best.
Now that I'm an adult, I still think back very fondly on my Richmond Fair days, and am so fortunate that I can still attend... Now, I'm on the other end of it - gathering at my in-laws house (who live on the same street that my own grandparents lived on), and watching the magic in my sons eyes as he sees all the fancy horses at the parade, and listens to the bagpipers pipe their way down McBean Street.
This was our first year taking Hunter to the fair. It was likely bad timing on our part - we chose to go in the evening so we could see our cousins compete in the demolition derby, not the day, which can be rather frightening for a 2 year old! Despite the loud noises, screaming teens and bright lights, he seemed to enjoy himself... Especially;
1. His first pogo!
2. His first fair ride (which he waited - very patiently! - for 3 turns to be able to get on)
By the end, he was ready to go home, covering his ears and saying "too loud, mommy".
Live and learn - Next year we'll take him during the day.
-tb:xox
This morning was dedicated to apples! Oh, glorious, glorious apples... Apple pies, apple crisp, apple sauce, apple juice, apple syrup... wait, what? That's right, apple syrup.
