I have watched Meet Me In St. Louis many times. State Fair, too. Is it just me, or did fairs seem to be about finding a husband, out-baking the neighbors, and growing a pig so fat and pink and clean the judges all impulsively threw blue ribbons at your hardworking little boy? I've never actually been to a fair like that.
I do remember growing up and attending country craft fairs. Windsocks, painted geese and peculiar little trinkets as far as the eye could see. And all crammed underneath miles of tents (greenhouse effect in action). Country craft fairs can still be found here and there, but they seem to be more about deep fried food and free chiropractic assessments.
Interest in a new breed of fair is emerging among urban professionals. The art fair. I've been to two this year: The Montrose Arts & Crafts Fair in outer Los Angeles, California and, most recently, the Saint Louis Art Fair in Clayton, Missouri. Grab a cocktail and walk down rows of affordable art tastefully displayed. Hungry? Step into a locally renowned delicatessen or boulangerie.
Read carefully, for I am about to reveal the secret of the art fair. Don't buy any art. My husband noticed a cigar shop on a corner where I picked up empty wooden cigar boxes for $2.00 a piece. The real find was not scoring another artist's handiwork. It was picking up supplies for my next-as-yet-undeveloped creations.
Next time you're feeling uninspired, head to the new and improved fair.
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