Fun Things to Do at the Clackamas County Fair: Canby, Oregon
Hee-Haw! All I need are my cowgirl boots, cowgirl hat, denim blue jeans, and a plaid shirt. I didn’t have on that attire, however, what I did have was a stamp on my hand of a cowboy boot that allowed me all day access to the Clackamas County Fair Rodeo. Trust me, it was more fun than what I had anticipated.
Sitting from the bleachers, I watched the Canby Rodeo competition. The rodeo events were team roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, tie-down roping and barrel racing. Some cowboys were competing for the first time while others were defending their reigning titles. The crowd cheered loudly every time a new winner was announced. After excitedly watching all of the events, I walked around to check out other aspects of the fair.
There were food stations, live dance performances, a mini zoo and a lot people dressed up like cowboys and cowgirls! The delicious aroma of fresh baked pies filled the air. There were apple pies, cherry pies, rhubarb pies and much more. My family and friends know that I love fresh baked apple pie but the moment I took a bite into a warm slice of rhubarb pie, it instantly became my favorite. After satisfying my taste buds, I continued walking around the fair.
Vendors sold locally made items including hand sewn quilts with beautiful designs. There were barns that housed farm raised pigs, cows, and goats. Keep in mind, for me this was a place of enjoyment but for others this was a competition. The winner of each category whether it was food or live stock will go on to compete at the Oregon State Fair.
I took a walk back in time in the 1800’s reenactment section of the Clackamas County Fair. Two ladies dressed in pioneer costumes invited me to ride in a wagon. Inside, there were four wooden benches. It was big enough to seat 12 skinny people. There were two windows one on each side but despite the breeze, it was very hot and stuffy. Air conditioning did not exist back then so passengers sat in the heat until they arrived at their destinations. Thank goodness for the evolution of modern day transportation! I loved participating in this scene because it gave me a first hand look at what it was like to travel on the Oregon Trail in a wagon!
After riding around in the wagon, I stopped by some of the shops that replicated the 1800’s time period. I walked over to the general supermarket and the store owner said, “Miss, would you like to buy some sheep wool?” Playing along, I said, “sure” and picked up a handful. “Eew this is very greasy,” I said. He then chuckled and replied, “The greasy stuff on your hand is lanolin. Back then it was used as body lotion and it is still used in skin care products today.” I massaged the lanolin into my hands and it made my skin very soft.
Afterwards, I walked around, mined for gold nuggets, and played dress up with bear, fox, and skunk fur. I had a blast!
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