Fair, start of school signal end of summer

I know that there’s a lot to see and do in Springfield, and the entertainment lineup continues to change and expand. But the fair still ranks at the top of my list of things to do without having to leave town.

I’m not a Springfield native, but I’ve been visiting the annual fair since I was a kid. This year, nearly 227,000 people made it to the Ozark Empire Fairground for the annual 10-day event. I’m glad I was able to be among them.

It’s funny how I’ve changed from being the kid who hopped from ride to ride, played all the games, ate the yummy treats and picked up plenty of souvenirs to being the mother of the children who do all those things. Since I’m grown now and realize that just like my parents told me, money does not grow on trees, I find that I must strike a balance of letting the kids have fun without destroying the family budget.

Fair organizers made that pretty easy this year, by offering a window of free admission on the last day of the fair and discounted pricing on the ride-all-you-want hand stamps. (I think they were supposed to be armbands, but the kids loved their bright orange hand stamps anyway.)

What a time we had! The kids rode all the rides their little hearts desired, and my reward was getting to see those great big grins. And there was plenty of free fun to be had, too, including a stop at the Missouri Conservation Department exhibit and a walk through the E*Plex where we saw all kinds of exhibits - in air conditioning, to boot.

My husband and I usually like to take a turn or two at the “Sweepers” game, but that’s pretty much the only one we stop at on the Midway. Otherwise, I like to limit family game playing to a sure thing, which usually means a few visits to the Lions Club Duck Pond throughout the day. I’ve been hooked on that game since I started going to the fair, and I’m glad to say that my children are following suit. Part of the fun is that you never know what kind of prizes you’re going to get, and it’s usually something interesting and entertaining. In all my years of going to the fair, I’ve yet to figure out just which ducks will nab me a giant jar of pickles. But I vow that I won’t stop until I get to take one home. So look out, ducks!

I always get excited about the fair several months in advance, when organizers announce the theme for the coming summer. And afterward, there’s a bit of a let-down. My 2-year-old daughter feels it, too. The other day, we loaded into the car, and she asked, “Go to fair, Mama?” And she’s only been twice. But she remembers it. I tell her that the 2006 fair will be here before we know it. We’ll be ready.

Meanwhile, it’s time for Ozarkers to think about the beginning of another school year. For parents, that means heading out to gather school supplies and to cajole children who’d rather be outside playing into trying on school clothes. It also means that families with children will be buying school supplies. For some families, that represents a struggle and a real strain on the budget. For all the reasons that make this area a good place to live, perhaps one of the best things about it is that people here really care about their neighbors. Several organizations and churches have been holding special events in recent weeks to provide school supplies for children whose families are having a hard time providing them.

Back-to-school means there will be more children walking or riding their bikes to school. Children have been known to dart into traffic from nowhere, so drivers, be careful.

It means area school children will be taking fund-raiser sales brochures to friends and family, seeking financial support for their schools. It means that teachers and principals will wrangle with budget issues, trying to figure out how to benefit the most students while spending the least amount of money, sometimes out of their own pockets – which makes the Springfield Public School Board’s Aug. 16 vote to roll back its tax rate 14 cents even more surprising. It was surprising in the first place, because usually, schools are asking for our money – not that they don’t deserve it – rather than giving it back.

And teachers – who, I’m convinced, have a harder job than most – will take on the task of teaching our children reading, writing, arithmetic and myriad other skills that they’ll take with them into adulthood.

Here’s wishing everyone a successful year of learning.

Maria Hoover is Inside Business editor for Springfield Business Journal.