Lane County Fair Special
Thrusday, August 15,2002
Since 1 900
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Volume 104, Issue 15
Let’s go to the fair
]
Relax at fair
with quality
food, music
When Morris Brown opened up his concession
stands at the Lane County Fair 50 years ago,
the common name for a corn dog was a “pro
to pup” and for cotton candy it was “fairy floss.” To
day, his two proto pup and fairy floss booths are like a
relic, sitting in the corner of the
food section at the fair with big,
faded letters.
But this year, “Brownie’s” famil
iar face is missing. Unfortunately,
Brown has cancer and is bound to a
hospital bed, thus far unable to at
tend the event he has dedicated
himself to.
Despite his ailing health, friends
and family still have hope that he
will be able to see the fair this year.
“It's his goal to make it to the fair
for his 50th year,” Brown’s sister-in
law, Shirley Kinter, said.
Julie Rowse, who is helping with
the tiny fairy floss stand, said
Brown is beloved in the community because he used to
dress as a clown at his cotton candy and popcorn booth
on Broadway.
“Anyone who has lived in Eugene and is at least 40
years old will say they went there as a kid,” she said.
Let’s hope Brown makes it to the fair this year because,
despite the heat, the food selection is fantastic. The ex
treme temperatures are even benefiting food vendors be
cause the only way for scorched fair patrons to cool off is
to buy a snack and go sit in the shade.
No trip to the fair would be complete without elephant
ears and funnel cakes. These two goodies can be found at
“Pennsylvania Dutch” for funnel cakes and “Elefantorer”
for elephant ears.
For a taste of the international, look no further than
“Hawaiian Style Foods,” “Jumbo Burritos,” “Mission
Mexican Restaurant,” “Oriental Village & Rice House.”
“The Doner Haus,” a small booth in the outskirts of the
vendor area, is one of the few European food stands. Serv
ing “doners” with chicken or vegetables, this food is a de
licious way to get a taste of Germany.
According to Theresa Bach, a worker at the stand, the
recipe comes straight from Germany. Bach’s brother
brought it back to America after being a foreign exchange
student. After returning, he opened the stand as a way to
pay for college. To prolong the tradition, the stand often
employs college students.
“We try to hire students going to college as a way for
them to pay college loans,” Bach said.
Food is fun to experiment with, but when the sun is
beating down, a cold treat is all that matters. A few ven
dors are dedicated to this necessity, including “Dutch
Girl Ice Cream,” “Hawaiian Shave Ice” and “Ben & Jerry's
Turn to Food and Music, page 9
Montry
Reporter
Fair information
Tuesday through Thursday
Friday and Saturday
Sunday
11 am to 10 p.m.
1 a.m.toll p.m.
Ha.frUo8p.rn.
General admission
Ages 16 and older $8,00
.es 6-15 $6,00
Children ages 5 and younger FREE
$10.50 to $14.60
FREE
‘WH50UW
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Thursday
Friday
America
Travis Tritt
Jamie O’Neal
Wells Fargo Day
Bi-Mart Day
Dari Mart Lochmead Day
Thursday
11 ajn.tol p.m.
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Boardsports Skateboarding
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Boardsports Skateboarding
exhibition
4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Raw Edge Break Dance Squad
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A New Era Dance
AB day: Pepsi inflatable sports attractions
All day: rock climbing wall
Friday
11 a m. to 1 p.m, Pepsi Challenge 3x3 Basketball
tournament
1 p.m, to 2 p.m. Boardsports Skateboarding
exhibition
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Boardsports Skateboarding
exhibition
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. KDUK karaoke
IPdayrmckcjlimbingwall
Saturday
11 a,m. to 1 p.m. Pepsi Challenge 3x3 Basketball
tournament
I p.m. to 2 p.m. Boardsports Skateboarding
exhibition
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Boardsports Skateboarding
exhibition
4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m Raw Edge Break Dance Squad
All day: rock climbing wail
Sunday
II a.m. to 1 p.m. Pepsi Challenge 3x3 Basketball
tournament
9 p.m. to 11 p.m. A New Bra Dance
For more information, visit www.atthetair.com.
Adam Jones Emerald
Summer would not be complete without a visit to the fair. What could be more appealing than an elephant ear and a jaunt on the ‘Octopus’?
Fun, food and festivities
All right — I admit it. I’m an Ange
leno and have never seen a true
county fair. Until now.
So, I decided it was high time to cor
rect that situation, and get my rear off to
the Lane County Fair. There are several
aspects to the fair to titillate the senses.
The midway is nice — not too
crowded, and full of the cool carnival
games that now, since it’s become a
wholesome family affair, you can be
moderately sure aren’t rigged. All the
favorites are present: ring-toss, Whac
a-Mole and the familiar shoot-the-wa
ter-into-the-clown’s-mouth game.
There’s even a BB gun shooting gallery.
The midway is also full of rides rang
ing from tame to fear-inducing. Every
thing from the Ferris wheel (two of
Guest Commentary
Pat
Payne
them there) to bumper cars are part of
the spectacle that is midway.
For the more whiplash inclined,
there’s a ride called the “El Nino,’’
which apparently involves turning
people upside down and spinning
them in midair; however, I like my
lunch right where it is.
And speaking of lunch, everyone’s
taste is accommodated at the food con
course. Vegetarian, Swedish and Ori
ental booths compete with good old
hot dogs and cotton candy.
All the other attractions, however,
can’t hold a candle to the popularity of
the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s
tent. Set up near the main food con
course, the tent is an oasis of free water
inside the blistering asphalt desert that
is the fairgrounds.
The lines stretch longer for this tent
than for nearly every other attraction.
Fairgoers queue up in the triple digit
heat, carrying bottles, cups or anything
else capable of carrying that ice-cold
clear stuff.
One of the EWEB staffers at the
booth said that the two 10-gallon cis
terns that they had set up have to be re
filled nearly every five minutes.
Some just relax and lounge under
Turn to Fair, page 8