An annual event in Canfield that never seems to get old

Mahoning County has few institutions that are as enduring as the one going on now, the Canfield Fair.
The fair, which runs through Monday, will attract tens of thousands of visitors from far and near. For some, it will be their first visit. For others, the fair is a decades-long tradition. For all, it's something special.
Twenty-five years ago, comic Bob Hope was the fair's headline entertainer. This year, another comic legend, Bill Cosby, will perform. The ability of the fair to attract top talent over generations is a testament to its success.
And its success is a testament to the great value to Canfield Fair gives its patrons. A $6 general admission ticket provides an adult with a whole day's entertainment -- senior citizens save a dollar on Friday. Kids 7 to 12 pay just $2, and those six and younger are free. Today, Youth Day, anyone 17 or younger gets in free.
Lots to see
For the price of a general admission ticket, a person can roam through dozens of barns admiring the cattle, geese, goats, swine and horses, not to mention chickens, turkeys and even ostriches. And, of course, rabbits.
There's music -- free performances by high school marching band, the Youngstown State University Symphonic Band and local musical groups.
History buffs can visit Western Reserve Village, where there's a log cabin, blacksmith shop, one-room schoolhouse, country store and doctor's office. Buggies and wagons are displayed at the Antique Carriage Museum.
If a man, woman or child can make it, it's on display at the fair. If a vegetable can be grown in Ohio, you'll find it somewhere. The easiest ones to find are the giant pumpkins and squash at the Pumpkin Palace, a favorite for kids of all ages.
Young members of 4-H, Junior Grange, FFA, Camp Fire, Boy Scouts and Farm Bureau Youth are busy at the fair everyday. Dozens of health providers have displays at the Medical Building, giving various free screenings and tips for better health.
There's a petting zoo for the youngsters and an antique farm machinery display where logs are cut, hay is bailed, water pumped and dirt moved the old-fashioned way, by steam and horse power.
And that's just some of the stuff for free.
You may want to bring a few dollars more for rides and games on the midway, some of the special attractions at the grandstand, and, of course, for food. We can't begin to list the menu here. But when your stomach starts to growl after all that walking, you're bound to find something that appeals to you. We can't guarantee that it won't be a little fattening, but -- like everything at the fair -- it will be worth it.