It's that time of year when state, county, and country fairs roll around, with all the excitement and trivia they bring. The Canadian National Exhibition (casually known as "The Ex") is on, as is the Iowa State Fair. The Erie County fair just ended. All over this continent, fairs are starting and ending.
The Ex started later than usual, thanks to the blackout. It was meant to start on Friday, but didn't until today. It not only relies on electricity, but on a large contingent of emergency infrastructure. Tonight, therefore, we saw the opening night fireworks.
aliciam has been raving about the event - I'm thinking I might finally make it this year, for the first time. I'd like to. I'm very fond of Iowa's state fair - the butter cow, the apple slushies, the sand sculpture, the largest hog, and all the exotic chickens and rabbits. I don't have much experience going to other regions' fairs, and this one is so close, it seems a shame not to give it a chance.Trivia: This year is the Iowa State Fair's 150th anniversary, and the Ex's 125th.
More trivia: The musical State Fair is based on the Iowa State Fair. The theme song for the musical includes the lines "Our state fair is a great state fair / don't miss it, don't even be late. / It's dollars to donuts that our state fair / is the best state fair in our state."
What does the phrase "dollars to donuts" mean?