It's state fair time! Here's your guide to 3 nearby - STLtoday.com
State fairs have endured through changing times, urbanization and the demise of many family farms. Louis, we are lucky enough to have three state fairs within reach, if not at our back door. The Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, the Illinois State Fair in Springfield and the Du Quoin State Fair in Du Quoin, Ill. Why do people go to state fairs. But it’s the farm exhibits that make us feel as if we’re really at a state fair — maybe the state fair in “State Fair,” written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for a 1945 movie. (“State Fair” made its stage debut at the Muny in 1969, starring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. Here’s a look at this summer’s editions of the Missouri, Illinois and Du Quoin fairs. As Rodgers and Hammerstein almost wrote: “Our state fairs are great state fairs. From carnival games to tractor pulls, state fairs are about more than fun and games: They encourage competition for blue ribbons and cash prizes. At state fairs, the vegetables are bigger, the pies sweeter and the flowers more colorful. • Harness racing: Missouri doesn’t allow horse racing, but at the Illinois fair, standardbreds are hitched up to two-wheeled sulkies, and wagers are welcome. Source: www.stltoday.com
