Published: July 23, 2008 08:24 am         

Food, fun are top attractions at fair

The Elkhart County 4-H Fair draws thousands of visitors every summer. Many of these people are hungry.

The fair’s food offerings are a common denominator in why people attend the event, according to an unscientific News survey this week. Fairgoers also talked about other things they enjoy about the summer festival.

“Pork burgers,” was listed by Annie Stump of Goshen as a fair favorite. She also enjoys seeing the farm animals and taking in the free grandstand shows.

“I’ve been here plenty of times before,” said Josh Beck of Goshen. He’s been attending the fair since age 5 or so.

“My favorite thing here is probably the rides,” he added. “That’s all I ever come for — the food and the rides.”

“Pretty much the same thing — food and rides,” Michael McKibben of Goshen said.

“I enjoy so many things about the fair,” said Kathy Seltenright, a member of the county Fair Board. She’s been attending the since she was a child and recalled going to the event when it was at Rice Field. She was a 10-year 4-H’er, and also worked in the fair office for a number of years.

“My parents were in the grange, so they always had a big display out here,” Seltenright said.

“I love the animal projects” at the fair, she noted. “I love the food. I love seeing what there is to see out here.”

Five or six years ago, her mom asked her to help with the fair’s “special groups” program. Special groups may include people who are mentally or physically handicapped, Seltenright said, “or they might just be a product of social abuse, where they have to be in a protective situation.”

“We take in a lot of people that wouldn’t ever get to see the fair,” she said. “That day, they get in for free.” They’re also offered a price break on ride tickets.

One change Seltenright has seen at the fair is the addition of a number of permanent buildings. Years ago, the fair was “a sea of tents,” she recalled, adding that her husband used to help put them up.

Michael Fritschi of Goshen and Michael Thurmond of Middlebury are among those fair attendees who like the food.

“We’ve been in the area about three years now,” said Steven Birkey of Millersburg. “(We’ve) got to come out at least once every year.”

“I grew up as a 4-H kid in another county,” he said. “I always like taking a look at the animals. You’ve got to come out for the food. There’s enough stuff going on, it’s always a lot of fun.”