Have I stayed too long at the fair?

Posted 8/21/12

Probably. The haunting ballad with that same title was composed by Billy Barnes in 1966 and plays repeatedly in my head annually, as various counties host down-home fairs that beckon throughout the …

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Have I stayed too long at the fair?

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Probably. The haunting ballad with that same title was composed by Billy Barnes in 1966 and plays repeatedly in my head annually, as various counties host down-home fairs that beckon throughout the Upper Delaware River region at this time of year. I try to hit at least one every summer and always look forward to seeing what the 4-H kids have been up to, log-rolling contests, rides, crafts, vendors galore and of course food, glorious food! As many of you know, my canine companion (www.facebook.com/DharmaTheWonderDog) is far more popular than I, and (unlike me) her presence is often requested at events where folks will literally line up to pay their respects and pose with the pup, snagging a pawtograph, while virtually ignoring me, even though she is in a sack, attached to my hip 24/7. Sigh.

“I’ve created a monster,” I mumbled to no one in particular, as I made sure she had treats, fresh water and ID, heading out the door for yet another adventure with the Wonder Dog. Honestly, her popularity has swelled out of control over the years, so it came as no surprise that John Jackson and the nice folks in Walton, NY (www.delawarecountyfair.org) asked her to be a special guest at the fair this year, and they wisely booked her months in advance, ensuring that she would be available to join her friends from the radio station (www.thunder102.com) who were judging the Karaoke Contest and hosting a concert starring country stars Jana Kramer and good ole boys Parmalee. Before taking to the stage, Kramer cooed at the pup and ignored me completely, while a spokesperson for Parmalee requested a meet-and-greet with the pup, prior to the guys hitting the stage to perform their mega-hit “Feels Like Carolina” for the thousands filling the grandstand as the midway began to glow.

“Just the dog, please,” I was informed when we went backstage to meet the band. “You can wait for her over there.” Wow, man. Salivating over the fair food constantly arriving, I reached for a hot dog, but schlock-jock Mike Sakell slapped my hand away. “This is for Dharma,” he said. “Get your own!” I slinked out of the way, as flashbulbs popped and folks outside craned their necks to get a peek of the pup as she posed with the guys and picked at her food. To be fair, she is far more attractive, so I’m resigned to being in her shadow. Despite my humiliation, I had a great time, and Sakell offered me some fried dough as a peace offering while we enjoyed the show. So my whining abated as the evening wound down.

After a decent night’s sleep I felt refreshed, but the pup was still exhausted, so I suggested she stay home rather than steal the limelight from the Zac Brown Band, which rolled into town (www.bethelwoods.org) along with opening act Drake White. As usual, I spent some time representing The River Reporter on-air with Thunder 102, but recoiled when White asked about the dog. “She’s not here!” I howled. “Deal with it!” Whimpering softly, I made my way to the pavilion to photograph the entertainment, ignoring those I passed who stopped me along the way wondering why you-know-who wasn’t there. White was fantastic (IMHO), and I’ll be keeping an eye on him (www.drakewhite.com) as his career soars. His Twitter account (@DrakeWhite) describes his band’s sound as “like if Joe Cocker joined The Band around a South Appalachian camp fire [after White] hooked up with Janice Joplin and [they] had a baby on the Ocoee river.” ‘Nuff said.

It was fun to observe an opening act do what it is supposed to do, which is get the crowd revved up for the headliner, and White succeeded on all levels. His energy was great, his voice (and style) unique, and the jam-packed crowd was excited, as anticipation for the Zac Brown Band built exponentially. Unfortunately, some of the momentum dissipated as the crowd waited more than 30 minutes for the band to appear. That said, no one left disappointed. Zac Brown and his band are incredibly talented musicians, and their highly touted 2015 “Jeckyll and Hyde Tour” left no stone unturned as they performed “Sweet Annie,” “Day for the Dead,” “Knee Deep,” and electrifying versions of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which had the crowd on its feet screaming for more late into the night. Dog tired, I left before the encore with that old ‘60s song still playing in my head. “I wanted the music to play on forever. Have I stayed too long at the fair?”

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