Going to the Fair

Denverites for the fourth consecutive year can go to the County Fair. I went a day early riding on the 0 and 48 busses to the National Stock Show Complex to set up an interactive Artist Trading Cards booth, a place where folk of all ages can sit for a spell and make their own miniature art pieces. The booth was located in the Fine Arts section along with its Blue Ribbon Art Show, an annual feature of the Fair, and about twenty booths of artists and art cooperatives. And the ATC booth sits next to a candy vendor and close to a stage where movies are shown, a spelling bee is held, and contests like texting for speed is held. Hard to beat that for a place to be inspired.

And the fair has many marks of the rural county fairs common to American tradition. Folk bring homemade crafts, cooking and canning, produce from their gardens, small animals and much more for judging. Ribbons are awarded the best, and I wonder if there are gardeners, cooks, and bakers who have won blue ribbons all four years. 

On Thursday I also helped hang the ATC submissions in the art show. It looked good. Hope you got to see it.

Anyway I went back to the fair the next day with friends to experience it in a different way, to look at booths, to spin wheels hoping for a prize, to study arts and crafts, to watch dogs run their courses. The feelings were good. I felt quite happy to be there with a long-time friend, her artist sister, her sister’s son, and their mother and grandmother. 

I was planning to make ATC cards with my friends but we ran out of time probably due to extra stops to watch the flea circus, listen to singers, watch a video, talk with artists, and otherwise enjoy the event! Plan to go there next summer!

Fun, fun at the fair!

Denver, 2014