(Photo by Jason Meredith) Back in the good ol' days, county and state fairs celebrated a region's agricultural achievements and drew folks in from the fields for a day of fun. Even though fewer of us live on farms nowadays, a day at the fair is still one heck of an occasion. As soon as you arrive on the midway, that unmistakable smell hits you: equal parts hot asphalt, deep fryer, and livestock. The fairgrounds reek of summer -- and everything else. Whatever your penchant, the fair's got it: prize-winning veggies and crafts, animal races of all sorts, stinky livestock pens, carnival rides, good-time music in the band shell, and lots and lots (and lots) of food -- most of it deep-fried. (Deep-fried latte? Gross!) The mind boggles at how many types of food can be served on a stick. Corn dogs are so passé! Cutting-edge fairgoers save the sticks for such nouveau delights as teriyaki ostrich, roasted alligator, and fried Twinkies. But, if you prefer your animals uncooked and without sticks, you can always count on the 4-H kids to parade the fluffy bunnies, pink piglets, and cute cows. Suggested Sites... State Fair Dates - find out when your fair is happening. Exhibiting and Judging Garden Vegetables - key techniques for blue-ribbon veggies. Meet Me at the Fair - Flickr Photo Group - it's almost like being there. How to Beat Carnival Games - better your chances of winning a prize. Deep-Fried Fair Food - mac-n-cheese, peanut butter and jelly, Oreos, hard-boiled eggs? Is there nothing they won't deep-fry?

Directory categories: State Fairs, Deep-Fried Dessert Recipes, 4-H, County Fairs, Livestock

Archived under: Amusement Parks, Animals, Awards, Celebrations, Contests, Crafts, Entertainment, Events, Festivals, Food and Drink, Fried Food, Junk Food, Regional, Summer, Tourist Attractions, Travel, United States

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The women of the Capital Punishment roller derby tournament (Photo by Michelle Tribe) Remember your first pair of roller skates? As you wobbled along, you probably didn't consider the experience a precursor to a future foray into contact sports (aside from contact with the sidewalk, perhaps). For some, it's just a hop, skip, and a roll from the safe sidewalk to the raucous roller rink. The sport of roller derby is making a comeback, and women in particular are lacing up old-fashioned four-wheel skates, donning helmets, and engaging in some serious competition. The rules of roller derby aren't especially complex: "jammers" score points by passing "pivots" and "blockers." The spectacle of the sport comes mainly from the shoves and spills the skaters endure. A decades-old phenomenon, roller derby grew out of the tradition of endurance races early in the 20th century. The first "Transcontinental Roller Derby" took place on August 13, 1935 at the Chicago Coliseum. Less brutal than the endurance race that, years earlier, had killed at least one participant, this Derby went on for weeks and covered 3,000 miles, the distance from Boston to San Diego. Since then, roller derby has come in and out of fashion, and public interest in the bouts as spectator sports has waxed and waned. In recent years, more teams and leagues have formed, with an emphasis on community, sportsmanship, and fun. There’s even an upcoming feature film directed by Drew Barrymore that frames a young woman's coming-of-age story around roller derby. With the known benefits of participation in team sports, and talk of roller sports being included in the Olympics, it may not be far-fetched to see this burgeoning sport playing a role in shaping a girl's future. Suggested Sites... Women's Flat Track Derby Association - tons of resources for skaters, including events, careers, rules, and rankings. Derby News Network - current info for serious derby fans. Roller Derby Foundation - includes an online roller derby museum and hall of fame. RollerCon - start training for next year, rollergirls! How To Pick Roller Skates - eHow video in which Rat City Roller Girl Rahel Cook shows you the basics for selecting a pair of skates.

Directory categories: Roller Derby, Roller Derby Leagues and Teams, Skating Rinks, Drew Barrymore, Women's Sports

Archived under: 1930s, American History, Contests, Hobbies, Roller Skating, Society and Culture, Sports, Women, Women's Sports

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"What are YOU doing this weekend?" (Photo by Veronica ML) Ah, the lazy days of summer are here. Wait -- "lazy?" We Americans are lazy enough already, according to this month’s American Journal of Medicine. That means it’s time to get out, get active, and to take advantage of some summertime activities! Nothing on your calendar? No problem! Ours is packed through the season. Here are just a few ideas for just this weekend: In major metropolitan areas, of course, there’s always something going on. If you’re anywhere near Chicago, this weekend is "Taste of Chicago," with free admission and filled with food and music. Speaking of music, everyone in Dallas is likely lined up for the "American Idol" auditions. If you missed registering in Texas, get your plane tickets now for one of the upcoming auditions in Los Angeles, Orlando, or Denver. Are there events geared toward those who want to get or stay fit this summer? Certainly! Remember the "Seinfeld" episode where Kramer swims in the East River because the pool is too constricting? It turns out there's a gaggle of like-minded New Yorkers who are swimming around Liberty Island today. If you can't make it, don’t worry; they have more events scheduled. Of course, you don’t have to live in the big city to find cool things to do. Wherever you are, you can still participate in "Take Your Dog to Work Day" (provided your employer approves, of course!), Some folks in Petaluma, California, however, will be skipping work with their pooches to visit the Sonoma-Marin Fair and enter the "World’s Ugliest Dog Contest." If the thought of big crowds and rats on leashes makes you want to just stay home -- or if you’re just saving all your energy for the Fourth of July weekend -- you can still get involved by watching other people push the limits of hockey, golf, or pure speed. Just don’t say you’re bored!

Directory categories: American Idol, Recreation in Manhattan, Chicago Travel Guides, Activities for Dogs, Sports

Archived under: American Idol, Animals, Boredom, Calendars, Chicago, Cities, Contests, Dogs, Eating, Entertainment, Events, Festivals, Food and Drink, Health, Outdoors, Pets, Recreation and Travel, Regional, Seinfeld, Sports, Summer, Swimming, Tourist Attractions, Travel, Vacations

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(Photo by Graham Chastney) We're old-fashioned when it comes to games and toys. We prefer Lincoln Logs to Leapsters, Backgammon to Warcraft, and even Rock Paper Scissors to Grand Theft Auto. So when we recently learned about a traditional playground game that requires only horse chestnuts (also known as "conkers") and string, we were intrigued. The more we learned about the game of Conkers, the more we felt we'd been deprived of something wonderful as children. In Conkers (which is played mostly in the U.K., Ireland, and some former British colonies), the preparation is nearly as important as the game. Competitors -- generally school kids, although nostalgic (and sometimes inebriated) adults also partake -- select the biggest, toughest, or luckiest-looking horse chestnuts from the autumn crop. Some contestants boil, bake, soak in vinegar, or shellac their conkers in order to toughen them up -- though others insist that any conker-tampering is cheating. Players carefully bore a hole through each nut, and thread a string through it, knotting the end to keep it in place. And then the games -- and the bruises -- begin. The game consists of two competitors taking turns whacking one another's conkers with their own, with play determined by a catalog of arcane rules and traditions. The conker that breaks first is the loser, with the winning nut receiving a score that is the sum of its own victories, plus the victories of all the loser's vanquished opponents. A particularly lucky conker might have dozens of victories under its belt before being smashed or retired from competition. Once a competitor graduates from playground matches, there's only one place to go: the World Conker Championships. The annual event takes place in Ashton, England, on the second Sunday of October. If you can't make it to the games in person this weekend, grab your conkers and play along at home! Suggested Sites... World Conker Championships - official site of the world's most serious game of Conkers. Institution of Occupational Safety and Health: Conkers! - the safety group now sponsors the WCC, dispelling a myth that they once required children to wear protective goggles while playing Conkers. Conkers: A Favourite Childen's Game - detailed, illustrated instructions -- all you need to start playing Conkers. BBC: Caravan Conkers! - the boys from BBC's "Top Gear" play Conkers with cranes and RVs. The End of Horse Chestnut Trees? - BBC report on a deadly fungus that threatens horse chestnut trees -- and Conkers.

Directory categories: Conkers, Games, U.K. Games, Game Retailers

Archived under: Conkers, Contests, Games, Kids, Recreation and Travel, Regional, Sports, United Kingdom

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Homeowner's display in Boston, MA Decorating your house for Christmas is no longer just stringing up a single row of lights on the roof, and you'll need more than those cool "icicle" lights to please the public. (Of course, if you live anywhere near a house that synchronizes the lights to music, you might as well throw in the towel.) Nowadays, homeowners are jollier than ever, seemingly competing against each other for the most dazzling home display. Some towns do, in fact, hold competitions to reward these illuminated homes racking up their GE bills. People drive miles to see displays of electric Christmas cheer, and some houses take good advantage of the crowds, asking for donations for charities. Making it all for a worthy cause might also be good ammo against Grinch-like neighbors who want to shut the whole thing down. Apparently, some folks aren't crazy about constant lines of cars idling down their streets, blocking their driveways, and making it hard for their many friends and admirers to visit them. (Or they're just jealous.) This year, if you and your family enjoy scoping out well-lit houses with countless lights and goodies, give thanks to the homeowners, if you see them. And if you're the Grinch living next door, lighten up, will ya? Suggested Sites... Osborne Family Christmas Lights - this family's display was a victim of Grinch neighbors, but their display lives on at Walt Disney World. Tacky Light Tour - ginormous database of Christmas-decorated houses across America. Ugly Christmas Lights.com - they can't all be beautiful and tastefully decorated. Christmas Vacation Tribute Video - first featured is Clark Griswold's super-illuminated house, which may have inspired today's Christmas display enthusiasts. Wikipedia: Christmas Lights - the history of electric Christmas lights and other holiday decorations.

Directory categories: Christmas Displays and Lights, Christmas Light Retailers, Christmas

Archived under: Christmas, Contests, Decorating, Events, Holidays, Home and Garden

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