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| Special Gene Patrick cartoon from August 21, 1967 Journal |
Well, it's one of my favorite times of they year – here at last. Yup, it's Lorain County Fair time!
I'll be out there later in the week, sampling all of my once-a-year treats, like a Rutana's Apple Dumpling (hold the ice cream but extra sauce, please). And of course I have to visit the honey booth, the rabbits, the photography exhibit, etc. It always feels about the same – and that's why I love it. The Lorain County Fair is timeless fun.
Seventy years ago, the 1955 edition of Lorain County Fair was being celebrated as taking place during the Centennial Year. As the Lorain County Fair dates back to about 1846, perhaps the Fair was appropriating the year of the first fair held in Wellington (1855)? Remember that for decades, the Lorain County Fair was held in Elyria, while another fair was held in Wellington, until they merged in the early 1940s. But I'm not sure why the 1955 Fair was designated the Centennial Fair.
Anyway, here's the front page of the Lorain Journal of August 22, 1955 with a great photo of the Fair gate.
As was the custom, an ad ran in the
Journal each day weeks before the Fair began, highlighting the grandstand shows and attractions. Dance bands seemed to dominate the stage shows that year, with
Ted Weems and His Band featuring Bonnie Ann Shaw, and
Ralph Flanagan and His Orchestra as two of the headliners.
But many fair-goers expect and demand excitement – and the Fair didn't disappoint. As one ad notes, "Daredevils from three different Auto Thrill Shows" were to compete against each other in every known. kind of automobile thriller."
In early September, the Journal's "Town Talk" column of Sept. 3, 1955 by James Howard provided a great and funny analysis of 'crowd psychology' as witnessed at the Lorain County Fair.
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