The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

The food, that wonderful fair food! Surely one of the many things folks look forward to when attending the Blaine County Fair is the 'Food'. Everyone has their must have go to first stop of the fair favorite, but it doesn't stop there. Over the course of the fair, most will surely visit more than one booth if not all. In between visits or while walking around chowing down on that delicious treat, fairgoers will often walk through the midway, going on rides or watch their little ones enjoy a go on the bungy jump. The Midway is a fun place to just let it all out and enjoy the experience.

The Blaine County Fair has its staples of fine fair food with all being favorites of many in attendance. Going down the line fairgoers can get started with a wonderful Scone or Sconito from the Funshine Preschool booth. After that tasty treat, a Pronto Pup and Snow Cone will certainly hit the spot. Next up, the VFW will serve you up a very tasty burger with cheese and fried onions if you like. Also available are some wonderful cheesy fries and homemade pie. The Eagles is next in line, serving a variety of Mexican dishes including soft shell tacos, taco burgers, nachos and Indian Tacos. Finally, the 4-H Kids can complete your fair food experience with a visit to the Chuckwagon where you can get a delicious burger, pie ala mode and a cold beverage. The FFA is on hand for all your food needs underneath the grandstands while you take in one of the daily night shows.

This year's Blaine County Fair also included a few new vendors including Spudnicks with an outstanding selection of gourmet baked potatoes. The Hungry Heifer served up some wonderful Barbecue and the Birkey family brought a Hawaiian specialty, shaved ice to the mix.

Where to start is a big decision for some as they spend all year looking forward to that wonderful Blaine County Fair Food. A common conversation that often takes place is the strategy for the week. "I like to start with a scone right away and then move to the VFW booth for a burger, have a taco or two after that and finish the fair off with a stop at the Chuckwagon," was one fairgoers strategy. Another explained to a coworker new to the area, "Start slow, take your time and make sure you get something from all the booths."

Overall, the vendors seemed pleased with their sales, Jay Eslick with the Chinook Lions stated, "We're going to surpass expectations, I think. We did good, had a surplus of volunteer help and overall, I'd say it was a really good fair." The VFW booth reported a 'steady flow' through their building throughout the fair and were pleased with sales. Mike Inman with the Chinook Eagles was pleased as well with the fair, stating sales were right around their yearly average.

Pipi the Clown was back again to provide entertainment at the start of the midway. The petting zoo was a big hit as were the miniature horse rides. A small collection of mechanical rides was on hand for all to enjoy and were free to all. Each year is certainly a new experience at the Blaine County Fair, but it is certain that the organizers do all they can to make it the best as possible for those in attendance.