Fair foods and furry friends don’t mix

Submitted by the San Juan County Fair.

The San Juan County Fair is happening this week, Aug. 14-17!

Our data shows that there are two very important activities most fairgoers make a priority. Eating fair food like corn dogs, barbeque and elephant ears rates high on everyone’s list. The other favorite is to visit all the barns and see the farm animals like horses, sheep and chickens. Please be forewarned the two do not mix.

Most fair food is finger food. Imagine this scenario. You order some curly fries. You, your children and friends wander around happily stuffing deep-fried potatoes in your mouths and go into an animal barn. Everyone poses with a cute (furry or feathered) animal, and who can resist reaching out and petting that cute creature. You continue on your way, back to eating the fries. E. coli alert. Unhygienic gamble alert. Do not bring food into the barn areas, please, for your sake.

Our partner and sponsor PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center is providing handwashing stations and supplies (soap, paper towels) located at every barn. Please use them often, before and after going into a barn. A duck does not want to be pet by a hand that just touched a goat, or was in someone’s mouth.

Now here is a teaser for new food at the fair. There will be deep-fried mac ‘n’ cheese balls and chicken and waffle sundaes by the folks from Vic’s Drive-In (aka Uppities). There will be donuts from the folks at Rocky Bay Café (aka The Donut Shop). There will also be all the returning favorites that fairgoers have enjoyed for years.