Experiencing the Dixon May Fair for the First Time

It's amazing to think that this time last year, we were still unpacking our moving boxes and settling into our new lives in Dixon. We feel like we have lived here our whole lives, and for the first time in a long time, I really feel like this town is my home.

We live so close to the fairgrounds that we can hear the concerts as if we paid to get into the show (OK, so maybe closer to the back of the crowd) and we can actually see the Ferris wheel change colors from our window.

It's enough to make a girl excited, and we had been anxiously awaiting our Saturday "fair date" day since we heard the sound system "tester" song, “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO, practically busting out our windows.

Saturday morning rolled around and we lathered up on the sunscreen (as I took an extra allergy pill-- what's going ON this year?!) and walked the five minutes to the fair.

We couldn't believe how hot it was at 10 a.m., and took cover in the shaded buildings, checking out the indoor gardens, quilts, and art exhibits until the rides opened.

We wandered around to look at the animals and had a great time. Our favorite animal stops were checking out Kristin Clark-Webb's baby goats and petting Windy, a beautiful llama who was fluffier and softer than Snuggle Bear.

When we heard the screams, we knew it was ride time and we moved on.

We both gravitated toward the "Yo-yo," the giant swing swinger ride that is a childhood classic. We got silly smirks on our faces because sitting in those seats definitely made us feel like kids again.

One of our other favorite rides was the Ferris wheel. It was so peaceful overlooking the hustle and bustle of the fairgrounds and being high enough to see almost the entire town.

Afterwards, we worked our way around to all of the rides and had an awesome time holding on for dear life, screaming, laughing, and trying not to barf. After our guts had had enough of the back and forth and up and down yanks, we decided to hit up the food booths and stuff our faces with delicious fair food.

We enjoyed a couple of ice-cold lemonades and corn dogs while listening to the local bands play their hearts out. For being our first Dixon May Fair experience (out of 137 fairs so far! We'll need to pick up the pace from now on!) we had an incredible time. Not only did we get to enjoy the concerts from our home, but we also got to get up close and personal with the great rides, music, and food. I think we can both agree, we will be visitors of the Dixon May Fair for many, many years to come.