Tons of Fun at Oakland County Fair
(Crystal A. Proxmire, July 15, 2025)
Springfield Township, MI – With barns full of award-winning animals like sheep, cows, ducks, rabbits, turkeys, horses and more, the Oakland County Fair is sometimes the only time children can see such animals up close. It also gives a chance for those who love to raise them chance to show them off and compete.
Among the hundreds of animals this year were two market lambs named Lumi and Mo-Lasses. The soft-wooled creatures came to the fair with Sadie Benson who’s raised them since they were born about six months ago. Benson lives in Ortonville and has been coming to the fair since she was ten years old, a decade ago. Seven years ago she wanted to try raising animals herself, after trying her hand at sheep-shearing, and has been doing it ever since.
“I love hanging out with all the people and learning,” she said. “Just a minute ago I was asking someone else a question about hide conditioning and how they moisturize. Everyone really tries to help each other.”
Animal shows are only part of the Oakland County Fair, which features games and rides for all ages, special performances, vendor booths, student art competitions, a petting zoo, educational opportunities, food trucks and more. Special events include Wheel of Agriculture, Racing Pigs, Sea Lion Splash, and Science Day.
Among the tasty treats available were frozen apple cider slushes from Leaman’s Green Apple Barn, located in Freeland, Michigan. Farmers from Leaman’s come over two hours to take part in the fair, one of only a few events they do each year.
Casey is a staffer who loves coming to the events and being part of all the excitement. While apples are picked in the fall, Leaman’s has developed recipes using frozen apples to make them into slushes and other chilled apple desserts. The creations came about during COVID when the business couldn’t have visitors and they had an over abundance of apples to put to use. The food truck helped them serve in an open-air environment and their creativity saved the business.
“Now we sell more desserts than cider at this point,” Casey said. “We do really well here in Oakland County, especially on these hot days.”
Hot foods are popular as well, with items like Polish sausage, BBQ, roasted corn on the cob, walking tacos, turkey legs, elephant ears, and even Battle Alley Coffee tempting peoples’ taste buds.
In the midst of the food and fun are opportunities for learning, including the chance to experience an airplane flight simulator. Sims for Seniors started at Waterford Senior Center to give older adults the opportunity to keep their brains sharp and enjoy an escape by “flying” out of airports around the world.
Susan Siporin and Darryl Smith brought the set up to the fair so people of all ages could get a taste of aviation. Sippron began her career as a commercial pilot, but then moved on to healthcare and volunteering in her free time flying veterans who needed medical transport and flying sick kids to summer camp. Smith picked up flying as a hobby then became an instructor. He also taught an after school program in Waterford’s Crary Middle School where students learned to become pilots even before learning to drive a car. Their passion continues in teaching seniors and families at events like the Oakland County Fair.
“I love to fly, and I love to introduce people to something out of their normal comfort zone,” Siporin said. “People think they can’t do it and to watch them figure it out and gain confidence in doing something they never thought they would is so enjoyable.”
The joy they share is just a fraction of the joy and experiences at the busy event.
The Oakland County Fair continues through July 20. For a full schedule and more information visit https://www.oakfair.org/
