Princesses, Popcorn and Powder Puffs
Put those three things together, and it can only mean one thing, the return of the Aylmer Fair. Generally, I've been in Kitchener-Waterloo and haven't had a vehicle so traveling back and forth would not always be easy for me. This year however, my brother has asked me to help him lay ceramic tile in a room of his house, so we are doing that on Friday, and I get to stay for the Fair on Saturday.

Since I first started going to the Fair, the main attraction has changed from Paul Riddell's Stunt Devils, a bunch of guys standing on the motorcycles they're driving or jumping in and out of moving trucks etc., to the Demolition Derby. This year features two nights of Demolition action. If you've never been lucky enough to attend one, essentially guys get to bring in their cars, having only made minor adjustments (removal of all glass is mandatory, decorating the car is rewarded, and you can't really re-enforce any more than the battery). Groups of 8 or so cars are put in the ring (a dirt track surrounded by concrete dividers, and they bash into each other until only one car is still driving. It's great fun, and if you sit close enough, you might get mud and/or random car parts flung in your direction. A good time is had by all. Don't get thinking that this is solely a male endeavour, there is one round of ladies, called the Powder Puff round.

The car that's decorated the nicest (as chosen by the Fair Queen) gets a prize. Officially it's the Aylmer Fair Ambassador, but now in keeping with our age of gender equality, we have a gender neutral title for a position that no guy dares to have. It was a guy the first year that it was Ambassador instead of Queen, but all women since then.

It's not quite the now when I go to the fair, since I'm too old to enjoy the candy, and too cheap to enjoy the rides, but that's life. As long as I get to smell exhaust and listen to crunching metal tomorrow, that's all I'll need.

   [ posted by William @ 2:53 PM ]