Familiar fair tradition passed to next generation

CANFIELD

Each of Peggy and Harry Potts’ visits to the Canfield Fair over the past decade has started in much the same way.

Before they do anything else, the North Lima couple head straight to the Antique Machinery area, located near Gate F. Once there, they follow their noses, weaving their way in and out of displays of various steam-powered machinery, to one featuring an air compressor-powered machine that churns out fresh-popped corn every few minutes.

The popcorn is then dumped into a big, stainless-steel bowl and quickly ladled by fairgoers into plastic foam cups. Salt shakers wait at the ready nearby.

“The smell first attracted me,” said Peggy, a self-proclaimed “popcornaholic,” who called the popcorn, available for free at the display, both light and flavorful. “I can smell popcorn being made from a mile away.”

As the Pottses drove onto the fairgrounds Friday morning, however, they couldn’t help but wonder if their first stop this year would have to be someplace different.

After all, the driving force behind the engine display — Thomas J. Hacon, who was perhaps better known by some as “the Popcorn Man” — died Jan. 26 at age 90. This year would’ve been his 31st at the Canfield Fair.

But Peggy and Harry were pleasantly surprised to discover that the remaining Hacons hadn’t abandoned what Thomas had started so many years ago.

“I’m just happy that his family is carrying on with the tradition,” Peggy said.

Terry Hacon, one of Thomas’ five children, said his father started off at the fair by displaying small, steam-powered engines he had built, many of them in his Austintown garage. He simply wanted to share them with others.

Thomas’ display didn’t begin drawing crowds until about 25 years ago, though. That’s when he got the idea to use the machines, which then were powered by steam instead of compressed air, to pop corn. It was a way to demonstrate the steam engines’ use to fairgoers.

Read how he did it and more about his long fair tradition in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.