A Place to Call Home: How Fares the Fair?

Last weekend was the 2013 Fauquier County Fair, held in town at the fairgrounds. We didn't have the chance to attend last year as we were still getting settled in at the house, but this year I had every intention of going. After all, who wants to miss the Hogway Speedway Racing Pigs? A coworker of mine is very familiar with all of the local county fairs, and had commented that Fauquier's was small but very cute. Then when she realized it was starting the day after I asked about it, she decided to go as well. So with our menfolk in tow, we headed to the fair!

We only spent about 2 1/2 hours at the fair, during the slightly cooler late afternoon hours. Last week was miserably hot, with both temperatures and humidity in the 90's, so there was a pretty significant limit on how much time any of us wanted to spent outdoors. We were also quite concerned about the poultry, rabbits and hoofstock overheating; there were fans on many of the cages but I've never seen so many chickens panting in my life. Nonetheless, we had a good time.

Mmmm, fair food...

Bunnies are cute!

I felt so bad for this poor angora rabbit in the heat...

Goats are also cute. Just make sure you watch your possessions - they will eat anything.

This lineup reminded me of veterinary school...

The sheep would like you to know that they are cute as well, particularly when recently shorn.

If you're not familiar with poultry farming or county fairs, it's easy to forget how very many different breeds of chickens and ducks, and other types of fowl there are.

These two were either trying to escape or commit suicide. I'm not sure which.

Fancy pigeons!

And then, of course, there were the infamous racing pigs. Piglets, really. Accompanied by racing goats, ducks, and Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs. They were entertaining.