Mr. Neshoba County himself invited me to THE Neshoba County Fair. I've heard so many stories about the infamous fair...I'm glad I got to try it out myself. I headed down on Thursday. My trek started out like any other. A very easy drive until the GPS decided it was going to die...like just.stopped.working. So I'm in panic mode in Noxapater, Mississippi (where "Jesus is the rock that never rolls") not knowing where to go. I got frustrated and threw little Garmania into the glove box. She then magically just started "speaking" to me. After she led me astray again, I took matters into my own hands, found 21, and rocked it on down the road.
Mr. NC met me at the gate and took me to the cabin. My senses were overwhelmed as I entered the fairgrounds. Colorful cabins, the intoxicating smell of corndogs and funnel cake, kids laughing, the roar of fair rides, and southern voices greeted me as if to say, "Hey y'all, Come on in!"
As soon as we got to Mr. NC's cabin, I had to prepare for the chair races. The chair races are a time honored event at the fair. Fair-goers line up at different gates outside of the race track and like equine, bust through the gates and race for the perfect location to sit during the main concert. Mr. NC's family had their doubts that I could hold my own during the race...but really, they don't call me Beef for nothing. I prepared like another other fair-goer: went through my regimen of stretches, channeled Mel Gibson, and "got my sweat on". You can check out a real race here. In true fashion, I dominated...twice (I did it two days in a row).
In fact, here I am before a race.
The two days I was there we visited a lot. I got to meet all of Mr. NC's friends. I laughed until my stomach hurt the whole time I was there. We played a million board games. I learned how to play some new card games...and I learned that I shouldn't actually try playing because these people are some true professionals. No competition there. We also sang a lot. I felt like I was in Tupelo. It must be a Mississippi thang because all of my friends can break out in spontaneous song...and you never actually know what will trigger a performance. Honestly, it can be a single word that will send them into a harmonizing duet, trio, quartet....possibly a symphony of singing people. It's fun.
My favorite part of the fair was the night time. All the twinkle lights came on. More people came outside. The concerts fired up. We got to see fireworks one night. It wasn't quite as hot as Cooter Brown anymore. I loved wandering through all the cabins. It was a lot like the Grove (well really the South in general) in that you could walk in anywhere and ask for truly whatever you wanted/were looking for and someone would have it and would give it to you...no questions asked.
I had the best time. I'm so glad I got to see my little friends before I move. So many great memories were made. Here's the only picture I took the whole time. Most of our group with Phil Vassar (the performer). He's super photogenic.
I had a fun ride on the way home. Garmania got me lost in The Middle of Nowhere, Mississippi. Our relationship is official ov-ah. Anyway, I found a kind man with seven teeth who got me home. I made it. Thanks again, Mr. Neshoba County...it was real.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
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