From: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/aug/14/visitors-eat-up-state-fair/
Visitors eat up state fair
Crowd comes out for opening day.
Sedalia Democrat
Friday, August 14, 2009
The gates to the 107th Missouri State Fair opened yesterday, and thousands of people flocked to the fairground to take advantage of the $1 admission.
As the ticket lines grew outside the Centennial Gate, Missouri State Fair Commission Chairwoman Elizabeth Schlueter said the day was off to a good start. “I’m very pleased with the morning crowd,” she said.
Retired couple Larry and OlaFay Turner, both 75, said they’ve been coming to the fair “all their lives.” The Turners, who live 12 miles west of Sedalia, entered the fair around 9 a.m. The duo said they planned to eat corn dogs and watch the chainsaw artist. “We’ll come back out on Senior Day for the Mathew-son exhibits, too,” OlaFay Turner said.
Besides the special opening-day admission price, fairgoers could also find lemonade, corn dogs, snow cones and burgers for a buck as well.
Julie Schivi, 22, brought her two young sons to enjoy the low-price festivities. Schivi came prepared with a double stroller and a spray bottle of water to cool off the boys. At noon, Schivi found a shady place to park the boys so they could feast on their $1 corn dogs. Schivi said she waited in line for more than 30 minutes, but it was worth the wait because Austin, 3, and Brayden, 18 months, seemed to be enjoying the meal.
Although corn dogs seemed to be a huge favorite among fairgoers, Bob Marshall chose to munch on a hot ear of roasted corn.
“It’s just so good,” he said. Marshall, of Camdenton, said he and his wife, Joyce, have enjoyed $1 day for the past four years.
“It only costs a $1, that’s why we come,” Marshall said.
Dozens of others chose to wait in long lines to try a $1 pork burger at the newly built Pork Place. Chicagoans John and Angela Crawford, both 33, said they planned their vacation around attending the opening-day ceremonies.
“We’re just trying to get the biggest bang for our buck,” John Crawford said, “and I’ll stand in line for three hours for a $1 burger.”
Robin Williams of Sedalia said she had to coax her 7-year-old daughter, Maggie, to attend the fair. “She’s scared of the robots and the talking car,” Williams said.
But once Maggie came across Whitney Wallace, the 2008 Missouri state fair queen, her attitude changed. Maggie proudly shook hands with the reigning queen, admired her tiara and showed off her loose tooth.
“She is real fun and real beautiful,” Maggie said of the queen.
Kansas City resident Bobby Gardener, 25, said he attended the fair yesterday for the “overall cheap experience.”
Gardener said he planned to eat inexpensive food, hear free music and people-watch.
“I brought $20,” Gardener said, “and that’s all I’m spending today.”
This article was published on page A10 of the Friday, August 14, 2009 edition of The Columbia Daily Tribune.
