The downpour that forced people to run for shelter and fumble with umbrellas Saturday afternoon actually was Byron Russell’s favorite part of the annual Hamilton County Fair.
“We were ducking from tent to tent to avoid it,” Russell said with a laugh, his hair and clothes soaked.
Fairgoers on Saturday tried their best to stay out of the rain. Hundreds of people under umbrellas and ponchos – and some who had nothing but grocery store plastic bags as improvised rain hats – roamed the fairgrounds at Chester Frost Park. Patrons who attend the fair’s final day today will hope for better luck with the weather.
The fair has a lot of activities for children and adults. There are pony rides, a car show, arts and crafts booths and a stage for all the different musical acts. On Saturday afternoon, a group of women performed “Greased Lighting” from the musical “Grease,” stepping extra carefully so as to not fall on the damp wooden stage.
The food area is also a favorite among patrons, letting people choose from a variety of fried foods like deep-fried banana pudding and deep-fried Oreos. Jyra Haou said the food was her favorite part of the fair. She had a funnel cake with powdered sugar on top, but that wasn’t her favorite snack.
“I’ve been eating all day today,” she said. “They had chicken tenders, you get three but they’re really big. It was hard to finish them.”
There’s no on-site parking available on Dallas Island, which is part of Chester Frost Park where the fair is held. People have to park at either the Northgate Mall or Middle Valley Recreation Center and take a school bus shuttle. Shuttle tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for children 3-12 and free for children under 3. Hours today are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with shuttle tickets being sold until 4 p.m.
The fair, now in its 26th year, attracts 50,000 people annually, according to its website. Larry Rodgers has a wood-carving booth, and he’s missed just one fair in his life. He goes around the South selling his wood carvings, which vary from miniature characters to busts of famous people.
“We just like sitting here, watching the crowd go by,” he said, protected from the rain under his tent.
Contact staff writer Evan Hoopfer at ehoopfer@timesfreepress.com or @EvanHoopfer on Twitter or 423-757-6731.