Each summer I look forward to August, when I can finally step onto the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. My grandparents take my sister and I each year, which is one of the best ways to close out the summer.
This year, the fair took place from Aug. 8-16, and was just as exciting as any other year. Going to the Midway, which is the center for games and rides at the fair, seeing the animals, eating delicious local food and shopping for handcrafted goods are all exciting things to do at the fair.
The fair is very busy, with around 250,000 attendees annually. Going during the daytime, when there are many families with young children, is optimal timing because it is much less crowded than at night, though it is hotter during the day. During the night the fair is filled with teens and young adults at the Midway. The fair opens at 10 a.m. daily, and closes at around 11 p.m. or 12 a.m., depending on the day. I like to spend around two to three hours at the fair.
The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair was created in Rockville in 1848 in hopes of giving the newly formed Montgomery County Agricultural Society a place to exhibit their agricultural work to the community and to give community members the chance to compete to win prizes for their produce, livestock and artwork. Eventually, the organization 4-H became the host of the fair.
4-H is an organization formed in Ohio in 1902 to develop confident young adults who are interested in learning and engaging with their communities. They do this through meetings, agricultural experiences like raising animals and produce and outreach such as the fair, and have spread throughout the country with around six million members.
The current fairgrounds were built by hundreds of county volunteers in 1949, and the fair still relies on volunteers today to care for the farm animals and work information booths. Members of 4-H still exhibit their animals and projects, and local craftspeople display live woodcarving and glass-blowing exhibitions.
A highlight of the fair is the food. Walking from one end of the fairgrounds to the other, there are many options from classic fair food like funnel cakes, hot dogs and french fries to more unique options like world-famous street corn from the Corn Guys and crepes.
My favorite things to eat are the cheese arepas from Del Girasol Colombian Bakery. Girasol also has many other delicious choices such as empanadas and Colombian sodas.The warm and cheesy corn patties never disappoint. I also love the New Orleans-style snowballs, which are similar to snow cones. These are both great choices because they are small local businesses.
One of the most common spots for teenagers at the fair is the Midway, because it has a variety of classic carnival games. Some of my favorite games are Bottle Up, where a player takes a rod with a string and loops on it and tries to use the loop to stand a glass bottle up, and a water gun game where players squirt water at a target to win a prize. Each game is a little pricey, with one round costing around $10-20 per person; however, they are fun to play, and players often win prizes such as stuffed animals.
A downside of the games at the fair is that there are not many options to choose from. There are some games like the water gun game and balloon darts that have multiple locations at the fair, so one can only spend so much time at the Midway without getting bored.
In addition to the carnival games, there are many rides such as a Ferris Wheel, Mouse Trap which is a haunted mansion-type ride and Pharaoh’s Fury, a pirate ship ride. Each ride costs around five credits, and each credit costs $1. An unlimited pass can be purchased for $25-40, depending on whether it is purchased in person or online, with a $2 activation fee at the in-person kiosk and online. While the rides are quite expensive, I think getting the unlimited pass wristband is worth it, because even after five to six rides, it will be more cost-effective than buying individual credits.
My favorite ride is the Ferris Wheel because it allows me to see the entire fairground. I enjoy getting to take a break from the chaos of the fairground in a relaxing way, as it is not a fast ride. I also enjoy the hang glider ride, where the rider lies down on their stomach and is lifted into the air and spun in circles. I like it because it is fast-paced yet secure, and it is fun to feel like I am flying.
The star of the fair is Old MacDonald’s Barn. This barn is not connected to 4-H, yet it houses baby animals along with calves born during the fair. Many of the newborn calves’ mothers were also born at the fair in previous years. I enjoy going to see the goats and unique animals like a zebu, which is a type of humped cattle, and an African Sulcata tortoise, a large tortoise breed.
It is also fun to walk through the 4-H barns, as it is amazing to see the animals that children and teens have worked so hard to raise and train. While it may be smelly, seeing the pigs and goats is always entertaining. Another one of my favorite parts of the fair is the rabbit barn with many adorable bunnies that are available for adoption.
The fair is always a highlight of my summer, and it is a great way to spend a night with friends or a day with family. While it is very busy, and most of the food and activities are expensive, it is worth going next year to close out the summer in an energizing way.
