Crawford County Fair steeped in hometown pride and tradition

The 2011 fair is themed “Hometown Pride County Wide.”

July 12-16, 2011 in Cuba, Missouri is fair time!

For 4 days, Hood Park along Route 66 in Cuba, Missouri will be the center of all activity as it hosts the 65th annual county wide fair. The family friendly fair is steeped in tradition and brings home towners back for the many activities and events that the Fair Board plans during the year.

A recent innovation is the Tuesday evening Family Fun Night when there is no gate charge and there are carnival arm bands sold.

But the official fair beginning is the Wednesday evening fair parade when viewers line the streets of Cuba from Mizell Funeral Home (formerly Brittons) to just past Missouri Hick BBQ where the parade turns across the railroad tracks to the drive to the Hood Park gate.

Generations of families have attended fair parades, rain or shine.

Saturday’s headliner this year is the legendary George Jones. Jones didn’t want to record his mega hit “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” because he thought it was too sad for anyone to want to listen to it. Well, evidently his fans felt his pain, and Jones went on to win every major country and western award there was.

In 1940, senate candidate Harry Truman visited Cuba during what they then called the “Homecoming” fair to make a political speech. While he started speaking on the steps of the Methodist Church, he soon found that the draw of the fair was too strong for locals to resist, and they passed him by on the way to the fair. When he learned of the lure of the fair, he adjourned there to capitalize on “fair fever.”

Even future President Harry Truman visited the fair in 1940. Four-H projects were highlighted in the mural as well.

If you aren’t from Cuba, and you visit during the fair, be warned that things are a little different during the fair. Businesses may close early, you might see people decorating floats (they’ll be glad to let you help), and you might not be able to find someone because they are staying out at the fair grounds that week. Just enjoy it. We do.

Visit the official Crawford County Fair website for updates and details on the fair.

Season fair passes are now on sale at the banks and the Visitor Center across from Country Kitchen at the I-44 overpass. Fair activity cards are also available.

Here are some past blogs that give a little more info about fair traditions and history. There’s some neat old photos too.

“Crawford County Fair: horse racing, arson, and over 100 years of tradition”

“Thirty year-old Crawford Countian prepares for 31st Crawford County Fair Parade….”

“Harry Truman visited Cuba. Why don’t you?”