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Sunday Night
MaryHelen Swanson, editor

The Chisago County Fair is over for another year. It was exhausting, but it was great. It was hot, and there were a few glitches, still it was fun.
The talent at the Thursday night contest was terrific. Iím sure glad I wasnít judging this year. The contestants should be proud of their performances. Chisago County will be well represented at the State Fair Talent Contest competition.
The MotoCross was interesting, to say the least. I adored those little tykes on their little bikes going round and round that big track just like the big boys, and girls. The older they got, the more daring they got, of course. It was a unique addition to the grandstand lineup, and I think there were plenty of people who appreciated it. Attendance appeared to be down at the demo derbies, but then the smash up entertainment was spread out over two evenings.
The mosquitoes were a bit of a problem, especially after dark. People looked like coaches at a little league game giving signals to their players. They donít do that, do they?
There was also one very ornery fly back by the hog barn and during the livestock auction I nearly bought a pig because I was swatting at it on my arm with my program. I was hitting away when I noticed the folks around me looking at me as if I was in the middle of a bid. I stopped.
Sundayís big parade had one new angle this year, besides the new day, of course- rain. I heard the thunder rumbling as I got ready to go up town, but the sky above me was bright blue and the sun was shining. Oh sure, by the time I got to the parade lineup area the skies were overcast and threatening, but we kept hoping it would slide off to the north. Everything was fine as we got underway, the grey skies actually kept it a little cooler than it might have been, and we moved slowly ahead toward the downtown area. We tossed candy, my sales associate Mary Eslinger and I, and free newspapers with $2 off coupons on subscriptions until July 31 (isnít that clever the way I got that special county fair deal in this column?) and ECM post-up notes. And then drop . . . drop. Was that rain? We tried to ignore it, and kept on tossing, going down one street and up the next.
No, itís not going to rain, no itís not going to rain - yes, Mary, put the top up on the convertible, now! The rest of the story gives new meaning to the word parade ìfloatî because many of them nearly did. And the onlookers? Well, after that first deluge, they were already soaked so they just stood there and waved back at us as we smiled through rain-covered windows. Yes, itís over, but it was fun.

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