August 30, 2023 marks the beginning of the 177th Canfield Fair, the county fair for Mahoning County and one of the biggest in the country. Living away from the Youngstown area, we’ve not been able to get to the fair in recent years but I visit the fair in my memories. These are ten of my favorite fair memories–hard to keep it at just ten!
10. Getting our annual DiRusso’s Italian sausage sandwich with my son. When my son was growing up, we were at the fair every year and one of our first stops was DiRusso’s. As he got older, there was a rivalry of who would eat it the hottest.
9. A childhood memory was when my dad bought me a footlong hotdog. I’d never seen a hotdog so big, and a foot of all the fixins? Heaven on a bun.
8. The year of the strollers. We often met up with friends from YSU and there was one year when we all had small children in strollers. Hard to believe that those “kids” are now pushing 40!
7. The rabbit and rooster barn. This was an annual stop for us–we couldn’t believe how many different varieties of these two creatures there were.
6. When I was young they had a double ferris wheel, the top of which was so high and at times not only would each wheel go around but also the whole hulking thing! A bit terrifying to look at and an absolute blast to ride!
5. The midways at night. All the lights, the haze in the air from both all the food being cooked and late summer humidity. All the wonderful sounds, the barkers at the “games of skill” booths.
4, A fresh made lemonade on a hot afternoon at the fair. Nothing was more thirst quenching–and all that sugar! Or a Strouss’s malt. Or an apple dumpling with a big scoop of ice cream. They were all good for cooling off.
3. Sharing an elephant ear among four or more of us as we strolled down a midway. Or Molnar fries.
2. Taking pictures outside the pumpkin exhibit, putting our heads into the pumpkin cutouts after being overwhelmed by the monstrous pumpkins inside.
1. Sharing the fair with friends as our annual re-union, and unwinding afterwards, staying up late and catching up on a whole year.
Actually, I’m just skimming the surface, but if I don’t share all my memories, that leaves plenty of room for you to share yours. There is so much to the Canfield Fair! A list of ten things just doesn’t cover it. And if you go to the fair this year, eat a DiRusso’s or an elephant ear for me!
To read other posts in the Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown series, just click “On Youngstown.” Enjoy!
The fair was welcome event that just grew n grew! Used to pack lunch before all the concessions! The education bldg, the pumpkin display, just seeing folks we knew! Last year got soaked in the storm! Still look forward to going!
1. DiRusso’s Hot Sausage, fried cheese on a stick, and a freshly made lemonade to wash it all down.
2. Watching the Salt Water Taffy being pulled and twisted near the Grandstand. Deciding which flavors to buy was the hard part.
3. A Strouss chocolate malt to cool off from the hot summer sun.
4. The beautiful quilts hung with their winning ribbons proudly displayed.
5. Can you say John Deere tractors?
6. Attending the yearly musical act performing at the Grandstand.
7. Making the winding trip through the booths to get to the farm animal stalls.
8. Shopping for the latest must have doo-dads at the kiosks under the Grandstand.
9. The latest local Law Enforcement booth.
10. One last DiRusso’s sandwich to close out the season. You can buy the sausage at the grocery store, but it can never come close to the smell, taste, and enjoyment that comes with the fair experience.
I have great memories of the impossible water faucet! For the life of me, I can’t remember the company that sponsored it at the Canfield Fair. I am 57 now, but I can remember seeing that water faucet for the first time as a child and being mesmerized by it.
Loved DiRusso’s sausage, the lemon shakes and Antone’s fried cheese!
I loved hearing them call out the messages for families that got split apart:
“JAMIE AND BRIAN, MOM IS WAITING AT THE BIG ROCK!! GET THERE IN 10 MINUTES OR YOU ARE WALKING HOME!!!”
So funny! Endless memories!!
Wasn’t the impossible water the Culligans booth?
Vinegar and French fries in a cone
Wow $3.50 for a DiRusso’s sandwich and $1.50 for a large Pepsi. What is the price for this year at Canfield Fair?
We always got Seafoam Candy under the grandstand and we haven’t found it anywhere else since our Seafoam Lady disappeared. And of course Apple Cider from the cider guy in Hay & Grain Bldg as well as free popcorn from the popcorn guy at the steam engines! Those were the days!!!
DiRusso’s, and the gyros in a stand next to the arts building. Loved to see the photographs and paintings.
Then on to the apple dumplings and elephant ears. Early on I had friends that raised and showed their animals, so it became a habit to visit every animal barn.
I also enjoyed watching the competition of the youth on their horses.
As you have said, distance has kept me away for several years, but one of these days I will make it back.
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