Getting back to our roots, just for the fun of it

One of the remarkable things about Mahoning County is that while its history is steeped in industrial might and most of its population lives in cities or heavily populated suburbs, each year it spends the days leading up to Labor Day celebrating its deep agricultural roots.
And so, over the next six days hundreds of thousands of city folk and country folk from miles around will assemble for the extravaganza that has come to be known as the Canfield Fair.
And while Canfield rightfully calls itself home to the fair -- the first one was held on the town square when Canfield, not Youngstown, was the county seat -- residents throughout Mahoning County, and some adjoining counties as well, consider it theirs.
Something for everyone
The fair board and fair administrators have done a good job over the decades of bringing attractions and acts to the fair that appeal to a wide audience without ever abandoning the agricultural foundation of the event.
Sure there have been stars of stage and screen appearing before Grandstand audiences, but the real stars remain the boys and girls who bring their 4-H animals to the competition.
And, yes, there's a demolition derby in the infield, but the machines that still captivate the imagination are those at the steam engine show that greet people entering gates D and E.
And, yes there are 42 amusement rides (and 25 kiddie rides) on the fairgrounds, but the most important riders will be on horses and ponies.
And among the 950 vendors on the grounds there are hundreds serving the food that makes going to a fair an event not to be missed, but the tradition of the fair will be found in baskets of vegetables wearing ribbons that proclaim them to be among the best to be found anywhere.
And while casual attire is the order of the day for most fairgoers, some members of the bovine set will be wearing their best for the Dress-A-Cow Contest at 1 p.m. Sunday in the cattle arena.
The 160th Canfield Fair opens today. We'll see you there.