My first step into the fairgrounds is an overwhelming shock to the senses that no amount of visits to county fairs in Western PA could have prepared me for. The sheer vastness of the fairgrounds coupled with the magnitude of human bodies shifting through it is enough to send my head spinning with possibilities and excitement. The smell of greasy food mixes with the unmistakable smell of poorly kept farm animals. I have to stand there in silence for a moment to take it all in. 

As soon as I enter the fair, I am faced with a crossroads, straightforward are trucks and trucks full of any number of delicious unhealthy food options unlike anything offered on the Muhlenberg Campus, to my left are cages and cages full of animals begging for me to fawn over their unmatched cuteness, to my right are lines and lines of games and rides calling to entertain me. In the end, my desire to eat anything other than dining hall food wins over and I step straight into the pool of delicious smells.The options seem endless as I walk by trucks offering everything from “authentic mexican tacos” to “bacon on a stick”. My taste buds are tempted over and over again, but I finally decide on an Italian Cheese Steak from a truck with some variation of the word Grandpa in the title.  I gladly pay for the extremely overpriced sandwich in cash, leaving quickly to find a place to sit and enjoy my delicacy. We decide on a small picnic table behind a snow cone stand. The sickly sweet smell of flavored syrup fills the warm air and bugs fly around in excitement at the sweetness of their new environment. 

I gladly dig in to my much anticipated meal and am not disappointed in the slightest. The sandwich is a warm delicious mixture of cheese and fresh meat, topped with delicious homemade red sauce and stacked high with fried mushrooms and onions. Each bite offers a new level of delicious flavor and exciting texture. The food is gone much quicker then I anticipated it to be, the meal flying by in my enjoyment. It leaves a warm savory taste in my mouth leading to a strong craving for something fruity and refreshing. I spot a lemonade stand across the walkway of food vendors and know immediately what my next endeavor must be. I swiftly maneuver over to the booth and order myself the sweet treat, requesting extra sugar, because I know I crave a little extra sweetness. The lemonade is delivered to me in a large and impressive souvenir cup which reads “Fun at The Fair” across the brim. This is exactly what I intend to have. The lemonade is the perfect combination of sweet and bitter and my first sip feels like a breath of fresh air in the warm August weather. 

With all of my food related cravings fulfilled, we are ready to continue through the maze which is this massive fairground. My stomach is full and my head is clear. I feel refreshed and ready despite the tepid air and can’t wait to explore what other wonders this huge event has in store for me.