The rich, and sometimes guilty, pleasures of our county fair
August 2026
by Margo Oxendine, Contributing Columnist
I guess one of my favorite things about August is the Highland County Fair. There’s a parade and carnival rides and a horde of kid-raised farm animals. (I don’t want to think about where those cute things go after the fair.) There’s a building packed with home-canned garden goods, cookies, cakes, showy flowers and lots of art, along with handsewn aprons and quilted goods. These Highland folks stay busy throughout the year.
One year, I reserved a space inside and set up to sell my book, “A Party of One.” It was so enjoyable talking with the fairgoers as they strolled by, even if they didn’t buy a book.
Turns out, I was set up right in front of rows of homemade cookies. They had already been judged, and the red, white and blue ribbons had been awarded. Well, I got a little hungry and then realized I could snatch a cookie or two off each plate, and no ne would be the wiser. I felt a tad guilty — but not much. The cookies were delicious.
There are also some — well, let’s call them “attractions” — that I have no interest in whatsoever. Those are the tractor pull and the demolition derby. It is very noisy and more than a little crazy. There’s just no getting away from the roar of engines and the dust and, often, the mud, yet these are perhaps the most popular attractions at the fair every year.
One sight to gape at is our rural highway, Route 220, between Hot Springs and Monterey on demo derby day. It’s something you’ve got to see to believe — countless heaps of already demolished cars, sometimes painted with weird slogans, in a dilapidated parade of their own for some 30 miles or more.
Of course, considering my love of all things canine, the dog show on Saturday morning is my favorite event. It’s even more fun for me than the sheep costume contest — a close second in the crowd-pleasing department.
There are purebred hound dogs of all types, each in full voice. There are tiny fluff balls of lap dogs, many of them shaking at the deep-throated barks of the hounds. Surprisingly, most of the dogs get along quite well. I don’t recall any kind of fight — maybe some snarling or low-voiced growls, but that is all.
The farm animals, such as the bulls and goats, are usually better groomed than most of the fairgoers, including myself. And the bunnies? They are adorable. I hope they get to go home after the show and enjoy a carrot.
The children and adults of Highland County are dedicated to their tasks. These folks plan for the fair all year long, and that preparation shows. Even the food vendors — most of whom come from local clubs and offer the same delicious fair food every year in the same booth location — do a superb job. If you have never had a hot, fresh maple-glazed donut at the fair, you’ve missed one of the great Highland highlights.
The fair runs just one weekend, starting with the parade, which I think is always on Wednesday. Then, by Saturday night it reaches its zenith, and by Sunday morning, the field and the display and animal barns are swept clean until next year.
The whole thing takes place on the last weekend before Labor Day (Sept. 2-5 this year). So, make your plans to take the gorgeous ride up to Monterey, and enjoy all that the Highland County Fair has to offer. Please try not to steal the cookies.
To order a copy of Margo’s “A Party of One,” call 540-468-2147 Mon.-Wed., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., or email [email protected].
