The 2023 East Perry Community Fair is now one for the history books. It should go down as a very successful one. Two of our older granddaughters did not attend this year because they had their high school Homecoming in Memphis. I understand that, but I also like to think of the annual fair in Altenburg as one huge homecoming. In addition to lots of people who attend the fair from our local region, we know that there are many who travel great distances to get here. I know that I talked to folks from Nebraska, Kansas, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont. The big reason they come is to reunite with people they grew up with, went to school with, and those who they simply call family and friends. It’s our version of a high school or college homecoming, only bigger. I have every reason to believe that our little village that has a sign proclaiming a population of 352 grew to over 30,000 the past two days.

I am once again going to share some images of the fair with very little comment. I hope you enjoy them. I know I enjoyed taking them (even though the trek up the hill to the cattle show arena is getting a bit harder in my old age). I will start with the animals. The thumbnails are clickable.

On to photography and produce.

A signature event at our fair is the Mule Jumping Competition. It always draws a crowd.

Speaking of crowds, here are a few other images of people congregating on the fairgrounds. I’m sure you can tell that there is plenty of storytelling and reminiscing going on.

I am only going to show one food photo because it is my only one. Trust me when I tell you that the variety and quality of our fair food is phenomenal. I have always thought of the fried fish as one of my favorites.

Now comes the time for some clean-up and getting rid of the “empties”.

Although I thoroughly enjoy the exciting few days of the fair, I now look forward to our little town getting back to being the quiet, peaceful, safe place that it is for most of the year.

Gotta get off to Bible class and to the church on the hill.