Sunday with Faith: Spending the day at the Oregon Country Fair

~ Photo Essay Contest ~  

The Oregon Country Fair is a place that I really think every Oregonian should experience at least once in their lifetime, so I'd like to take this time to tell you a little bit about the Fair. I grew up at the Fair because I've been going since I was about 5 years old. 

My parents would take me to the Fair just for a day, because our very close friends owned a booth there. Sylvia use to sell satin suns, moons and clouds that you could hang from the ceiling and shared her booth with another person.  

Throughout the years, my mom started making crafts as well and decided to share the booth with Sylvia once the other man left. My mom and I started staying there for a week every year and this is something that I would look forward to ALL year. I lived in a very small logging town called Sweet Home, Oregon and the majority of people there listened to Country music and wore Wranglers. I was different than pretty much everyone in school, in fact I was the very first person to get a nose piercing. I was the only girl who rode a skateboard and I even published an underground magazine for the school. So, the Country Fair was MY chance to just be "me" and no one could say anything about it.

When I became a teenager, I started working on the Teen Staff at the Fair... earning my stay there for a week. My first year on the Teen Crew, I worked in the daycare area, taking care of kids while the adults enjoyed the Fair. The next year I worked at the Information Booth and the next 2 years, I worked on the Traffic Crew - counting traffic as they left. I experienced a LOT of growing up while at that Fair, some things that most people would never see.

My favorite time at the Fair was during the Saturday Night Circus. This is something that only members of the Fair could see and it was a HUGE event every Saturday night. I loved it and still have fond memories of my time there.

The products in our booth have slowly changed over the years and now it's a combination of children's clothing, beads, lavendar products and tye die goods.

Sylvia's daughters make some of these products and they all take turns "manning" the booth. My Uncle (my mom's brother) now stays there and they all rely on him a lot because he mans the booth more than anyone else. 

The booths are big structures, most of them with lofts on top where everyone sleeps. They are built into the land, the majority of them on trees, like tree forts.

The Long Tom River floods and flows through the entire Fair site every year, so every year the people who own the land float through on rafts. (Something I've always wanted to do!)

The booth owners have to come in prior to the fair and repair anything that's been damaged by the flood. 

The Fair is on Private land and it used to be really crazy. The Oregon Country Fair used to be known for a bunch of hippies running around in the forest for a week.

Things have changed a little bit. Glass, Alcohol and Drugs are no longer permitted and ticket sales are now sold in advance only, and through TicketsWest. Of course there's still an occasional topless lady here and there and people will still do what they want to do. The thing about the Country Fair though is that everyone is really laid back. They're all just there to have a good time, share their crafts with others and spend time with people who have similar interests.  

I no longer stay an entire week at the Fair or work there. I stopped staying there when I had my own children, but I still go there every year for just a day.  This year, my husband and I were able to get Grandma to watch all 3 boys so we could go the Fair by ourselves. Jennifer Meacham had something come up and wasn't able to make it, so it was just the 2 of us all day. But, I promised her and everyone on Gather that I'd post this photo essay so you could share in the experience. 

A LOT of people attend the Fair each year and this year was no exception.

I think we parked further out in the fields than we've ever had to. The walk in to the Fair wasn't that bad without kids though and it wasn't that hot yesterday. It was about 80 degrees and overcast.

There are certain things that I go there specifically for, like a burrito from Rita's Burrito or a delicious Calzone. This year I skipped on the Calzone, but you better believe the first thing I bought after the long walk in was a deluxe burrito.

My husband started out with 2 slices of pepperoni pizza.

Along the way, we ran into many interesting people, and you can always tell the booth owners from the visitors because you have to wear a Fair bracelet at all times if you're staying overnight at the Fair. It's a pretty coveted thing, so people wear them like a badge of honor.  

We relaxed at my mom's booth for awhile and visited with her and some other friends and family. 

I called relaxing at the booth "decompressing" because having Fibromyalgia really puts a damper on any outings we have. I have to rest a lot, especially when there are a lot of people around.

My dad was even there when we showed up and it was great that we decided to attend the Fair the same day this year!

He shared his fudge with us too - Travis had Chocolate & Walnuts and I had Espresso Fudge.

 
I spent some time bonding with one of my friend's daughters, who is 11. She's going through an emotional period right now and reminds me a lot of ME when I was her age. They use to call me "crybaby", so I can feel her drama. She was actually in a time-out when we got there... I felt so bad for her.

I found out that she just started taking photos and she really has an eye for it! I let her borrow my camera so she could snap a few shots around the booth and told her that I'd love to hang out with her sometime in Salem just going around town and taking photos together. Her mom was ALL for the idea and heck yeah, I'd be all for it too if a friend of mine offered to take one of my kids for the day. 

My husband and I hit the trails again... 

...and ended up at the Main Stage where this awesome Reggae/hip-hop band (called "Wisdom") was playing. It was packed and everyone was having a good time.

One guy obviously had TOO good of a time for TOO many days in a row and really just needed a place to sleep. At least he had his pillow with him in case he ever decided to take a little nap!

Later on Travis was hungry again so we tracked down a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich for him.

Then we went over to another stage to find an old friend of mine, Thaddeus. He now owns and runs "Sprout City Studios" in Eugene, Oregon and does the sound for one of the stages at the Fair too.  He was busy setting up for the next band, so we took off in seach of an ice cream cone for Travis and a Blueberry Cheese Blintz for me. Yummy. Of course I forgot to take a photo of my dessert, sorry Ms. Meacham!

We then went back to the stage to talk to my old friend that I grew up with at the fair. We had a nice visit, but he was working... so it was short.

I did find out that Thaddeus runs the sound for the free "River Rythms" concerts held in Albany, Oregon every Thursday nights during the summer, and that works out really well for me because it's only a 20 minute drive to see him. I'm more than likely dragging the family there soon, especially since Curtis Salgado is playing there on July 26th!

We ended up going back to the booth again for just a few minutes to say goodbye to everyone and rest our feet a bit.

We even saw Jerry Garcia along the way and the Parade Costumes sitting along a path.

Then we made the LONG trek back to the truck and believe me, I felt like the truck couldn't have been any further away. 

I've got trail dust and grime in my toes and under my fingernails, I smell like sweat, patchoulli, sweet grass & various other burning items, I have a blister on the sole of my foot and I think I might have a left chin splint, but... the entire day was worth it. 

If you live close to or in Oregon, I'd highly recommend that you visit the Oregon Country Fair at least once in your lifetime. It doesn't matter what age you are, I know you'll find something that perks your interest.

Who knows, maybe you'll make it a tradition like I have.

~ Faith, Painted