7 Must Have Fair Essentials
In most parts of the country, it is fair time. This year I attended not only our local county fair ( Wayne County Agricultural Fair) but also our state fair- the North Carolina State Fair. I have also been lucky enough to be a judge for both of these (more information on this later). But I have also found that you need some essentials for the fair. So here is my list of must have fair essentials.
Fair Essential #1 Good Shoes
I learned a hard lesson last year when I word shoes that had no support. By the end of the day, my back and feet were killing me. This year for the fair, I wore my trusty Flex Nikes. As my daughter Gracie so eloquently put it the other day, “I am throwing fashion out the door and wearing my tennis shoes.” And both she and I did just that.
Not only is there a lot of walking just from the parking lot to the entrance gate, but once you get inside, there is even more.
Fair Essential #2 Dress in Layers / Bring a Sweater or Jacket
With North Carolina weather, you never know what the weather is going to be like. Right now, one day is very chilly, and the next day it could be in the 90s. So I made sure I had a sweater this year. And boy, was I glad! When the wind wasn’t blowing, it was nice, but once the wind kicked up, it was brr chilly.
Fair Essential #3 Bring a Bag/ Backpack
I always bring a bigger bag than what I normally carry around. I even bought a clear backpack for the fair this year. But I ended up using the messenger bag I had instead. A bag would be good to store the sweater I mentioned in the above essential. If it gets too hot, you can put your sweater inside. You can always use it to carry your drink bottles, keeping your hands free. Plus, it is a great place to store your wallet. This brings me to …….
Fair Essential #4 A RIFD Blocking Case and a Budget
Since I knew that I would be traveling a lot this summer, I invested in this blocking case, which protects my credit card. But I also need to mention that you don’t want to overspend at the fair, you might want to leave the credit card at home. (Well, maybe have one in case of emergencies.) And just bring a budgeted amount of money you want to spend. And speaking of spending — What about the food? What do you do with the food you don’t eat or the fair favorites you want to eat later?
Fair Essential #5 Plastic Bags
Go to your local dollar tree and get some quart and gallon-size baggies to take in your bag. We did this for our county fair because I knew there were a few items I wanted from the fair. But I also knew that if I ate them all that day, I would be sick. So I brought some baggies to carry my fair treats home with me- to enjoy another day.
Fair Essential #6 Have a Plan
Last year, going to the NC State Fair, we didn’t have a plan, and we ended up walking all over the fair multiple times. This year, we went with a plan in mind. We got there early and left before 2 pm. And we learned to walk to the furthest exhibit and then work our way back down to the gate we came in. It made for a much more enjoyable day for us all.
Fair Essential #7 Buy Tickets In Advance
Not only are the tickets cheaper, but you can bypass the lines at the gate.
So these are my must have essentials for the fair. Tell me do you have any to add?
