Meet me at the fair - for flying dogs, camels, cars
I'll admit my first fleeting thought when you say "county fair" still is barnyard animals and parking-lot-style rides, such classics as the Tilt-a-Whirl and that Viking boat thing.
To be sure, rides still abound, and our Page 1 photo in Thursday's paper from the opening day of the DuPage County Fair might have been the quintessential fair shot: A 5-year-old attempting to milk a cow.
But if that were all our local fair were about, perhaps we wouldn't treat it as such a spectacle. But to its credit, the fair is continually trying new and different things. I'll admit I'm a little skeptical how big a hit the Pink Floyd laser show might be on Saturday night, but you've got to admit this year's other headliners provide something for just about everyone, from Christian rock artists to a teen heartthrob.
Plenty of new stuff away from the main stage.
Take DockDogs. This new contest basically allows anyone to sign up his or her dog to participate in a number of challenges, most of them involving jumping great distances into water.
There's a 4,000-gallon fish tank displaying about 60 fish, 11 species - all indigenous to DuPage County lakes and the West Branch of the DuPage River.
Tired of riding ponies at the fair, kids? A little too passe? Well, this year you can board a camel if that floats your boat.
Even the wood carver was trying something new this year - a huge bucking bull sculpture made from American elm.
Five new food vendors, too, but please don't ever get rid of the kettle corn and the super-sweet corn dogs.
I know all these fascinating tidbits not firsthand, but by reading the pages of this newspaper this week. Every year, we try to show readers what's unique and different at the fair. Our coverage of course, will continue through its conclusion on Sunday.
On today's front page you'll see a story by staffer Cathi Edman about the concert from headliner Steven Curtis Chapman, still reeling from a horrible tragedy - the death of his 5-year-old daughter, hit by Chapman's teenage son, who accidentally backed his car into her in the family driveway.
Cathi also contributes a first-person account in today's Neighbor section where she sees if she can milk a cow better than a 5-year-old, tries to gorge herself on fair cuisine for less than $10, second guesses the bake-off judges, among other things.
But I'm glad the fair organizers continue to save the best for last, in my humble opinion. I'm referring, of course, to the Demolition Derby on Sunday. I'm biased, of course, because we sponsor the event. But this year, we've worked with the fair promoters to offer a few extra goodies.
Stop by the Daily Herald booth this weekend, fill out a questionnaire (all about you and your reading tastes, gentle reader) and enter a raffle to win Great America tickets, movie passes and more.
We'll also be using one of those launcher things to shoot Daily Herald T-shirts into the crowd watching the demolition derby at 2 and 7 p.m.
Another first: One of the drivers in the derby will pilot a Daily Herald car - he's painting our logo on it and everything. Feel free to root us on - or hope we get smashed to smithereens.
And, if that isn't enough, your favorite Daily Herald DuPage editor will be appearing at the 7 p.m. show for a quick interview - just before the finals and the real fun begins.
jdavis@dailyherald.com