Fairs to remember

September 5, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

CANFIELD

Lois Andrews could only make it to the Canfield Fair for a few hours this year, but she made sure she was there.

“I couldn’t miss coming,” she said.

Andrews of North Jackson hasn’t missed a single fair in 82 years.

For 45 of those years, she’s been there as a concessionaire. She and her husband, Tom, own Andrews Sausage, a beloved fair staple.

Andrews is one of several people who shared with The Vindicator special moments from their days spent at the Canfield Fair, which is now 170 years old. They shared different memories, but the same theme emerged again and again: the fair as a Mahoning Valley tradition.

Many people had never missed coming to the fair their entire lives; all cherished the six-day event as a time to relive the traditions they learned as children.

Andrews recalled bringing her own children to the fair.

“We didn’t have enough money to feed the kids, so we always brought a picnic lunch,” she said.

The family’s fairgoers have grown considerably since then; the Andrews have six children, 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, many of whom make appearances at their stand throughout the week.

Andrews recalled one memory in particular, from when her son, Jim, was 14 years old.

“My son rode the pony races. One race that he ran is probably one of my biggest memories I have out here,” she said. “As they got ready to start the race, his bridle broke, and he had no saddle of course – he was riding bare-back. The horse took off on its own.”

Janie Jenkins, an equestrian and longtime Vindicator writer who covered the Canfield Fair for many years, came to Jim’s rescue by catching up to him.

“He jumped from his horse onto the back of her horse,” said Andrews, who was watching the whole thing.

During the few hours she spent at the fair Sunday, Andrews was barraged by a steady stream of visitors, including much of her large family.

“It’s been a wonderful fair — a good 82 years,” she said. “I just love it, that’s all. ... It’s just a special place.”

79 FAIRS IN 80 YEARS

Bob Withers, 80, of Columbiana, has been to 79 fairs. His wife, Ruth, 79, has been to every fair since she was 2 years old.

The couple has worked at the fair for 34 years, coming in early each morning and then working at the grandstand each night, where Bob is an usher.

Also in the club of dedicated fairgoers is Joyce Brooks, 76, of Canfield, who also has never missed a fair during her lifetime.

“My parents took me there when I was 11 months old,” said Brooks. “I’m filled with memories.”

One that comes to mind is the many days she spent as a child helping her parents serve meals at Austintown Community Church’s tent.

“Fast forward to now, when we have this wonderful community tent,” she said of the church’s colonial inn building across from the maintenance building that serves meals each day of the fair.

Brooks also recalled performing as a majorette with the Canfield High School Marching Band during one of the fair’s very first band shows. The bands used to spend the whole day marching throughout the fairgrounds, she said.

“I keep waiting for someone to say, ‘Joyce we need another majorette!’” she joked. “I continue to go to those band shows every year. I was sitting up there the other day, through the whole show, cheering them on.”

In the 1980s, she was in charge of the fair’s Educational Building, and she remembered one year when they got to display one of the largest rocks brought back from the moon landing.

She saw all the big stars who visited the fair, including Bob Hope, Johnny Cash and the Beach Boys.

“That was a rainy night, and they were throwing beach balls around,” she said of the Beach Boys show.

“Those were fun, fun times,” she said. “As long as I can walk and move around, I’ll be out at the fair.”

Marcella Oliver, 59, of Surf City, N.C., has fond memories of bringing her mom, the late Patricia Bovo of Lowellville to the fair.

Bovo’s last time at the fair was when Oliver took her to see the rock band Train perform at the grandstand in 2014 when Bovo was 87.

“She was clapping and enjoying herself,” Oliver said.

Bovo spent 20-plus years working concession stands at the fair.

“She loved to come to work for the fair,” Oliver said. “It was something to get out of the house.”

FAIR BOARD PRESIDENT

Andy Frost Jr. not only made memories of his own at the Canfield Fair but also helped fairgoers preserve their memories.

Now in charge of overseeing the fair, the Canfield Fair Board president once had his own stand called Frost Foto Buttons.

“When the kids were small, we came to the fair every year, and every year there was a company making buttons,” Frost recalled. “I thought that would be a great business to be in.”

So, in 1983, when Frost needed more money to help get his three children through college, he started his own button business.

Frost and his late wife, Nancy, used Polaroid film to make the buttons.

“It was a lot of hard work,” Frost said. “My wife and I did it all by ourselves. We actually did make a decent profit.”

Eventually, the Frosts switched to digital and continued to grow their customer base.

For 25 years, the Frosts preserved family memories in button form.

“It’s funny, over the years we actually made friends with our customers,” Frost said. “We had a business that returned to us every year. In fact people still ask, ‘Where’s your button booth?’”

Ardell Cook Tiller, 76, of Struthers, emailed The Vindicator to share this:

“My family has attended the fair for six generations beginning with my great-grandmother and now my grandchildren go to the fair. My family were pioneer Beaver and Green township people.

“Fondest memories are being a member of the North Lima Busy Beaver 4-H Club in the 1950s. Our club won many awards of our exhibits,” she wrote.

“Hooray for the fair. None better,” she said.

THE 100th FAIR

Former longtime fair board member David Myers, whose son, Craig, now is a fair director, reminisced this week about attending the 100th Canfield Fair.

“When I was a teenager in 4-H, 70 years ago, my buddies and I ... talked to the head of cattle here, and he had some empty stalls, so we slept in the stalls,” he said, recalling that the centennial fair was celebrated with a special 10-day run.

“We behaved. We didn’t do things we shouldn’t do,” Myers said. “We were here 10 days and enjoyed every bit of it.”

The tradition hasn’t been quite as long for Joe Barringer, 19, of Poland, and Brittaney Mingo, 18, of Youngstown, but it runs just as deep.

Asked how long he’s been coming to the fair, Barringer said: “I’m 19, so 19 years. My parents would bring me in a stroller.”

Mingo’s favorite fair memory is her family’s tradition of getting apples and apple cider, then going on the Pirate Ship ride.

“There’s a lot of my family that live in different states, and they’d all come in,” she said. “We’d have a huge family here.”

Mingo did the same thing herself this year, traveling three hours back from college.

“I had to come home for the fair,” she said.

The Wilson family of Mineral Ridge was out at the fairgrounds Sunday, adding memories to their nine-year family tradition.

That’s how long Ashley and Ryan Wilson have been bringing their kids, Brayden, 5, and Briaunna, 9, but the tradition began during Ryan’s childhood.

“It’s just nice to carry on the tradition,” he said. “They want to see the animals and the pumpkins, just like I did when I was little.”