Photos from the 2016 Oakland County Fair
(C. Proxmire, July 16, 2016)
Davisburg, MI – The Oakland County Fair is not just a day of rides, shows and animals.  It’s actually a 9 day fair with many people camping at the fair itself for the whole experience.  Kids from all over Oakland County come to stay near their animals, see friends from other communities that they’ve grown up expecting to see each year, and to show off not only their well-cared-for animals, but also their creative and intellectual projects as well.
The fairway is full of exciting rides and carnival foods.  But in the Ellis Barn competitions were held for art, music, science, writing, speech, citizenship and more.  “When you think about the County Fair, a lot of people think about the animals.  But there’s so much more to it.  And there kids get so much more out of it,” said Holly resident George Kullis who has been volunteering as a judge for years.
“Every year you see them and they get taller.  And you see every year they come back proud of the work they’ve done.  4H does so much for these kids besides just teaching them about animals.”
Abbey Glad, 17, of White Lake first came to the fair to enter her dog in a contest three years go, but now she enjoys taking on new challenges.  Her project on tracking bioluminescence in organisms in water samples won the admiration of the judges, earning her the Adeline Curry Memorial Trophy.
“4-H has really helped me just to grow as a person.  I was really shy before but now I have confidence.  I feel like when there are challenges I can handle them,” Glad said.
Youth who submit artwork have to answer questions about their project.  Eleven year old Shirley Yenyak created a large color wheel collage out of paper, magazines and glue.   She wrote that she learned “that you can do a lot with things you are about to throw away.”
The animals are also a big part of the fair, including the “Miracle of Birth” barn where it is a special tradition for animals to be born during the fair so the youth in attendance can see the experience.  This year’s most celebrated birth was the last one arranged by Ortonville veterinarian Elizabeth McGhee.  McGhee was a longtime volunteer at the fair and she had timed a mating right for a Scottish Highland calf to be born at the fair this year.  McGhee could not be there for the birth because she died in a plane crash in November.  A sign is up in her honor in the Miracle of Birth Barn.
The Oakland County Fair offers different themed days including Family Safety Day and Special Needs Day.  This year’s fair began July 8 and runs through Sunday July 17.  For more info go to http://www.oakfair.org/.