By Elizabeth Richardson
What an amazing and fun experience I had at the Chelsea Community Fair. It was my first fair adventure ever and I wanted to make the most of it.
Lisa had been telling me all about it since December. She encouraged me to enter something to feel a part of it, introduced me to lots of great people, told me to take lots of pictures and just enjoy each of the many events I attended.
She was right.
So for my very first fair I had a bucket list … so many things to do and see and so little time:
1. Knit a scarf and enter it for the fair and maybe get a ribbon.
2. See as many animals being shown by kids as possible.
3. Help with pictures everywhere.
4. See baby calves, donkeys, and goats.
5. Have delicious lunches and dinners at the Service Center Fair Restaurant.
6. Laugh while taking pictures of Lisa showing Hope, a Brown Swiss.
7. Get up very early, drive in fog, and have a wonderful time taking pictures, get a door prize and enjoy the tradition that is Ladies Day.
8. Meet really nice fair queen contestants and homemaker winners.
9. Judge floats and enjoy my first fair parade (collected candy for Lisa) on a perfect day.
10. Attend the livestock auction and try to bid on a pig. (Reacted too slow in bidding to even attempt to buy a pig.)
Because of the incredible people I met and the things I got to do, I had the time of my life. Everyone was extremely helpful, kind and inclusive. From the ladies in the fair office, to Mary Tobin and the whole crew in charge of Ladies Day and all the livestock superintendents – the entire Chelsea community did its self proud.
I have tons of wonderful memories, 2 second place ribbons, and many new friends. I’m already planning on what I will enter next year and the dates are marked off my 2015 calendar.
See you all next year at fair.
It was a pleasure watching you have fun! And thank you for the coverage of Ladies’ Day.
Yep, our Fair is really fun and special. And local!
I attended the Chelsea Fair in 1986, after moving to Michigan and while living in Ann Arbor. At that time, I was a young woman with no kids, but big dreams. What I found was an experience so warm and friendly that it became my goal to someday live in Chelsea and raise a family here.
I finally made it in 1996, in time for my oldest daughter to start kindergarten with her cohort of the class of 2009. My younger two children are native Chelsea kids! Chelsea is truly my home and I love it here. It’s all a result of that initial fantastic experience at the fair.
The Fair is a wonderful community asset. Thank you all that participate in keeping it alive