'FAIR' Play: Plenty to like at this year's fair and rodeo

“This is just perfect.”

For Max McMillan and his West Linn family, it was a statement that started with the weather, but certainly encompassed a lot of what the Clackamas County Fair and Canby Rodeo delivered last week.

McMillan, and his wife Tammy, have been coming to the fair and rodeo off and on since they were teenagers living on a small farm just outside Canby. They went off to college, got married, came back and raised a family, all the while keeping the fair and rodeo close at hand.

“The fair and rodeo have been a big part of our lives for years now,” Max said. “I’m a sucker for a big old elephant ear or a corn dog. And I really enjoy walking through the barns and seeing the animals the 4-H and FFA kids are working. And with it being in the 70s all week, it’s so pleasant not to be sweating on my elephant ear.”

For Tammy, with two of her grown children and a couple of grandchildren on hand, the chance to enjoy the fair and rodeo as a family never grows old. There’s something to see just about every yard of the fairgrounds, she noted.

“I think this is one of those Americana type of things that it feels good to hold onto,” she said. “I really enjoy the entertainment like the hula hoop gal (Hilia Hula Hoop Extraordinaire) and others performing on stage or roaming around. What they do is amazing and it’s just so much fun to be around. It’s just a pleasant way to spend a good part of the day.”

And while thousands upon thousands poured through the gates during the week, each came looking for their own form of enjoyment. For many, it is the highlight of the summer.

“Well, I’m gonna eat like a champion, then go into the pavilion and look at the art and photography,” said Isabelle Stanley, who drove up to Canby from Salem. “I grew up in the area years ago and the fair was always part of the family summer. I dabble in photography, so I really enjoy looking at the entries for that and trying to take away some ideas. And like I said, I love fair food, so I’ll look a little, eat a little, look a little more, eat a little more.”

And whether it was Mark Wilder jumping rope on a unicycle or Joni Harms delivering western music you rarely hear anymore, there was plenty to like over all five days of the 2024 fair and rodeo.