We went to the New Jersey State Fair & Horse Show in Sussex County on Sunday. I’m not sure why they get to have the title “State Fair” because it isn’t. Not really. The big state fair has already taken place (in July I think) at the Meadowlands. This is more of a county fair.

I understand that the county of Sussex is all about horses (and agriculture) as you can tell by just driving through it, so it’s no wonder that the fair started as a horse show and grew from there.

It was cute and cozy and just the right size. Rick won me a little plush duck and we rode the ferris wheel.

We walked around all the livestock barns (which I already posted a few pics of in yesterday’s post) and watched a group of kids take their alpacas through a course much like a dog drafting test or temperament test.

We ate some fair food.

We looked through the photos entered in the photo contest, all the exhibits and entries in wine, beer, baked goods, crafts, and the vegetables.

Winners in the Great New Jersey Zucchini Contest resting on their laurels. (or would that be resting on their hay bale?)

Lots of garlic to judge!

These were exhibits in the creative flower arranging. This “cake” won first place. Pretty darned creative, I’d say! Would you like the whole cake?

Or just one slice?

I also loved this one but it didn’t win a ribbon.

There were a few attractions that we skipped. Like this one:

All in all, a good day at the fair!

Did you go to the horse show?  Looks like you had fun.

C, no. This was the last day of the fair and I think all the equestrian centered events took place earlier in the week.

That cake is…interesting.

I was haunted by those sorts of sideshow posters when I went to fairs as a kid. I never went to see the shows themselves, though, which probably would have demystified them!

Steve, they are creepy aren’t they? Last year at the Dutchess County Fair in NY Rick went into one of those kinds of attractions with “strange” animals. He said is was very sad and somewhat sick.  I’m not quite sure how those kinds of sideshows things managed to stay around.

That sounded like a really fun day.  I love the flower cake - very clever but I also like the old boots - shame it didn’t win a prize.

Joyce, it was fun. I know, I thought the old boots should have won something too!