Let’s hear it for the satisfying selection of food at the fair

With the arrival of the Holmes County Fair this August, many 4-Hers are gearing up to show their animals at the junior livestock show. Kids are eager to ride the rides, and there is entertainment galore in the grandstand area.

Yet one aspect of the fair continues to be a highlight without standing out, and that is the ever-popular fair food.

Listen carefully to people talk, and many of them have one thing in mind when attending the fair, and that is partaking in the bliss of their favorite fair food, whether Stromboli, funnel cakes, loaded baked potatoes, French fries, ice cream, churros, corn dogs, deep-fried anything, mac and cheese balls, lemonade or any of hundreds of fair cuisines.

“Yeah, there’s something special about fair food because it’s something we don’t usually eat every day,” said Tara Sheldon, one of the concession stand committee members.

What exactly makes fair food so tasty and irresistible that people would make a habit of attending the fair specifically for that reason?

It’s pure brain bliss. Most fair food is not exactly high up on the chart of healthy cuisine, but for one week, people can set aside their diets and healthy eating routines and dive into the delectable array of fair food, full of all those ingredients that aren’t necessarily good for you but make your mouth water.

From the enhanced texture and flavor and the boost of salt that meets that craving to the sugary sweetness that delivers instant satisfaction, fair food lights up the brain’s reward system, enticing fans to enjoy every last bite and then some.

Fair food is one big dopamine hit, featuring crispy fried edges, gooey fillings, soft versus crunchy and hot versus cold.

For many people fair food is something they don’t eat every day, so there is this fascination with the idea of the food being fun, providing a certain type of freedom and childhood nostalgia.

Then there is that irresistible aroma wafting throughout the fairgrounds.

The scent of frying food, grilled meats or sweet funnel cakes grabs people’s attention and primes the appetite, and the concession area is filled with bright, alluring colors, making fair food almost impossible to resist.

While many fairs will simply try to fill spots in the concession area with whatever entity wants in the lineup, the Holmes County Fair is a bit unique in that it works diligently to create an array of food stands that provide a gigantic menu of options.

Sheldon said the concession committee is very purposeful in making sure that when concession stand owners come in, they are unique in their offering, thus keeping the options wide open as to what people can find.

“We’ve got a lot of our concession people who are back here year after year, which is nice because we know what they offer and we trust them,” Sheldon said. “We do have some new food vendors this year, and it’s always neat to keep providing plenty of unique food to the public. We’re very particular in who we select, and typically, at most, we will have two of something because we want all of our vendors to make money.”

Sheldon said food vendors play a major role in enticing people to the fair, and continuing to make the dining decisions difficult for fairgoers is a priority.

So this Aug. 4-9, while enjoying the festivities, take time to peruse all of your dining options because fair food is comfort food, and it continues to be a great way to satisfy all the senses.