“The Great Community-Family Get- Together” is what the Cook County Fair Board intends this year’s event to be. After a busy summer hosting tourists, community members can gather like a family to visit and enjoy a little down time Friday and Saturday, August 21 and 22, 2009, according to public relations chair Sharon Hendrickson.
In old-fashioned county fair style, exhibits will meander from one outdoor attraction to another, starting at the Community Center and ending at the horse park. A portion of Fourth Avenue West (Creechville Road) will be blocked off so fair-goers can safely walk from exhibit to exhibit.
This year’s fair will include a wellrounded roster of activities, with a little something for everyone.
Four large inflatable bouncy rides will be located outside the Community Center. In recent years, they have resulted in more ticket purchases than the carnival rides that used to be at the fair, Hendrickson said.
From there, families can walk to the Search and Rescue building to enjoy a petting zoo.
Just up the street, the Sawtooth Mountain Riders will be hosting horse events from Friday through Sunday in the new arena south of the Gunflint Trail. “They’re really excited about being in the new horse park this year,” Hendrickson said.
Throughout the weekend, Don Hammer will be exhibiting the historic art of blacksmithing. “Blacksmithing is a passion of mine,” Hammer, both artist and teacher, said. “Blacksmithing is the genesis of all trades.” He quoted an old saying that declares the importance of blacksmithing to all other tool-using trades: “By hammer, by hand, do all trades stand.” There’s a mystical quality to making something malleable out of something that is so hard, Hammer said.
Hammer makes his own chisels, tongs, and punches but says blacksmithing is used today mostly to create art. His exhibit will include the tools of his trade – a forge, a blower, an anvil – as well as tools he has hand-crafted, such as a hammer that creates a bark-like texture, and examples of his metal art.
Hammer will be on hand throughout the weekend to share stories about the history of blacksmithing, both in general and in Cook County, and hopes to gather new stories from others. He has information on early Cook County blacksmiths who followed logging crews from job to job, but he would like to learn more about maritime blacksmithing in the area.
If all goes well, Hammer said, he will return to the fair next year and demonstrate blacksmithing in action.
Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 22, the Northwoods Fiber Guild will host a “sheep-to-shawl” demonstration in which they will shear a sheep, hand-spin the wool, and weave it into a shawl, hopefully within the span of five hours.
Why should people attend the county fair? It’s a great time for the community to get together at the end of the summer, said Hendrickson. She enjoys watching people stroll through the exhibits, drinking coffee and talking to fellow community members. It’s good to see the variety of vegetables and flowers residents have grown, she said, and community members can enjoy projects created by community kids.
Hendrickson expects at least one family and one hockey group to offer concessions during the fair. She is pleased that local groups can make money in this way.
Small businesses and nonprofits still have time to reserve display space and can do so by calling Community Center Director Diane Booth at 387-3015 or Hendrickson at 387-1369.
Volunteers are needed this year for such things as setting things up the week of the fair. Board members are also needed to help keep the fair going in future years. A lack of volunteers has threatened to bring an end to this longstanding Cook County tradition.
Hendrickson would like to see an events planner for next year recruit more local food vendors and bring in entertainment and new events such as log rolling. She would also like to see more events (such as toy ducks in a pond) for small children.
Members of the current fair board are wearing multiple hats as they prepare for this year’s county fair, and given the variety of interesting attractions, they are doing a fantastic job. Perhaps the community will offer its gratitude by volunteering both now and in the future, ensuring the continuation of this Great Community-Family Get- Together.
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