City slicker finds the fair

Libby Moore

I am not a native to Texas. Consequently, I have never had the pleasure of attending a state fair until this past Monday when my roommate decided we should go to the East Texas State Fair.

I had heard all about the fair, but I was still not entirely sure what to expect. As a lifelong city slicker, Six Flags was the closest thing to a fair I knew.

I had advice thrown at me from all directions:

“Make sure to eat this…”

“Don’t forget to look at that…”

I was almost overwhelmed. However all of my fears were absolved once I arrived at the fair. I found myself instantly swept up in a whirlwind of bright lights and carousel music, and of course the smell of all the food.

Sampling the deep fried Twinkie was first on my to do list. I made certain the 450-calorie snack was topped with powdered sugar and chocolate sauce. It was delicious.

I finally convinced my roommate that we couldn’t leave the fair without riding at least one ride, so she agreed to ride the Ferris wheel. I felt like a little kid again, on top of the world and overlooking a sea of fun activities.

With the rush of the Ferris wheel still fresh, we wandered over to the fun house. Running through a spinning cylinder proved to be harder than it looked. Alpine Bob’s Spinning Bobsled Ride was my favorite. The small seating units spun forward then backward and my roommate and I laughed the whole ride.

My roommate pulled me over to the livestock displays as I scarfed down a barbecue sandwich. I’m embarrassed to say I did not know there are different species of cows. My roommate rolled her eyes at me as I stared at the cattle with wonder. Of all the animals present I probably most enjoyed the display of rabbits. They were nothing short of adorable.

By the time my roommate and I got home that night I was beyond tired and my teeth and lips were blue from all of the cotton candy I had eaten. But I feel it is safe to say the East Texas State Fair was a very fun experience and I will more than likely attend again in the future.