Requiem for the Michigan State Fair

It’s no secret the state of Michigan is hurting in this recession. The auto industry that is the lifeblood of the Great Lakes State has seen devastating cutbacks, and therefore the state economy suffers as well. But not only do big programs like unemployment and schools have to cut back, the little ones do too. And it sounds like the Michigan State Fair is in its final year as Governor Granholm cut off state funding for the event.

Fairs a staple of Midwestern life, as it is a place that people from all walks of life can come together and have fun. It is also a place to enjoy some foods that can’t be found anywhere else, such as my personal favorite: elephant ears. Plus, you have an assortment of games you can’t win run by people who may or may not be convicted felons. If those don’t interest you, you can ride rides that were moved by flatbed truck from another city less than a week ago.

For me, I always like to check out the livestock. Growing up, I was lucky to visit the farm in Indiana almost every summer, and I loved to help out feeding the animals. As Nan and Pap got older, they had to get rid of the animals, but I always felt like if things were different, I could have raised a blue-ribbon animal.

I had never been to the Michigan State Fair before this year, but I have been to enough fairs to know what to expect. They seemed to have a pretty good crowd and several of the vendors kept saying, “Pray for us to be back next year.” Granholm said she wants to use the land for economic development. It may be true that the land could be used for more practical things than a state fair, but in an age where we are so isolated by technology and class, it’s nice to have a place where everyone can come together and have fun for a cheap price.