Farewell, adieu, until next year

On Saturday the 2008 Bluffton Street Fair drew to a close. With everything from the Diaper Derby to a Halloween Parade, the last day of the Fair was all about the kids.

More Horse Pull Pics

Here are a few more of Frank Shanly's shots from Saturday.

Street Fair Horse Pull

Frank Shanly shot some great pics of the Bluffton Horse Pull competition on Saturday. Check these out.

And the band played

Bluffton Street fair is a staple of this community. And it's easy to see (or hear) why.

Scrambled brains

This looks like fun, if you're a scrambled egg.
But the kids seem to love it.

Crowds packed the streets of downtown Bluffton Friday night. If these folks were cars we'd have a terrible traffic jam in the center of town.

Catchin' Crabs

This is not the way they do it on Deadliest Catch but these folks are clearly hunting crabs...Hermit crabs, that is.

Water gun racing

Nothing screams a fair like the water pistol game. It's changed
slightly over the years. When I was a boy you shot the water stream
into the gaping mouth of a strange looking clown head. Definitely more
creepy than its current incarnation.
These kids had a great time playing, and winning.

Blowing his horn

This young man had a great time playing along with the Bluffton Street Fair Band

Spin Spin Spin

I can't understand why these people would be so happy about being flung
around in circles at breakneck speeds. I would be screaming for my life.

Until next year

The Horse and Pony events at the 4-H park have come to a close. The bright sun, clear skies and all-around fine weather made for a week of fun and excitement.
Tomorrow at the 4-H Park it's the Heavyweight Horse Pulling competition at 9:30 a.m., Pony Pulling at 1:30 p.m., and Garden Tractor Pull starts at 6 p.m.

4-H Park Horse Judging

Great times at the 4-H Park today. Judging of Horses and Ponies will continue until 6 p.m. tonight.

Morning at the Fair

Nice weather for the fair means lots of cold drinks for the visitors, which means lots of ice.
Pancake breakfast with the girls in downtown, in the morning sun, are hard to beat.
Even the courthouse gets the full Bluffton Street Fair treatment, with flags and banners and vendors all around.

Deep fried flavor

Chris Mettler was frying fish early this morning, getting ready for the lunch crowd at Ruth Mettler's Original Fish Sandwich booth.

Support Mitch - buy a cookie!

The folks at Republican Headquarters in downtown Bluffton were setting out some fresh-baked goodies for breakfast, lunch or midday snack.

Read the sign

When Bluffton says no parking, they mean NO PARKING.
Actually, this is what's left when people vent their frustrations on inanimate objects for fun. Check it out at the Bluffton Street Fair.

More Industrial Parade

Recognize any familiar faces in the crowd for the Industrial Parade? Seems everyone knows everyone, and for one week out of the year we all get along like good friends.

Industrial Parade Photos

The young, and the young at heart, of Wells County gathered for the annual Industrial Parade Thursday night. Candy, t-shirts, toys and assorted other promotional items were stuffed into goodie bags like a pirate's booty.

The Wheels of Yesteryear Parade was a big hit with everyone, kids and adults alike. Although it seemed to me some of those tractors were a lot older than some of the drivers...and some of them weren't.

The one that got away

Paige Graham, 10, almost had a bite, or at least she thought she did. Meanwhile her sister, Courtney, 9, was a little more patient and scored a fish in no time.

Hurry up and wait

The rides don't open until 5 p.m. but the lines for tickets start forming just as soon as the first kid can get there.

Eat, drink, support a good cause

While you are stuffing your face full of good eats at the Bluffton Street Fair tonight don't forget to pick up a hot apple dumpling and help support the Southern Wells Post Prom.
All this week students and others have been working the concession for a chance to raise a little money. Liberty Center Methodist Church and Boehmer United Methodist Church volunteers will be working the stand tomorrow and Saturday.
Stop by and do a good deed - eat something!

The long, long wait

Joyce Wolf has been coming to the Bluffton Street Fair for as long as she can remember. Before she retired she would schedule her annual vacation to coincide with the street fair.
"It was too expensive to go anywhere for vacation," she said. "So the Street Fair was my vacation."
According to Wolf she came downtown at 11 a.m. today to set-up seats in advance for the Industrial Parade and found a line of chairs in her usual spot.
She walked a block away to check a different area and when she came back, all the free space to the other side of her was taken too.
"I guess I just didn't get down here early enough to get my usual spot," she said. "But this will do fine."

Don't miss the Industrial Parade

Not many children can resist the attraction of a big truck. There is nothing my three-year-old daughter loves more than driving my tractor (while sitting in my lap of course.)
If you have a little one at your house who loves big trucks (or perhaps someone a little more grown-up) get them to downtown Bluffton for the Industrial Parade. Starts at 6 p.m.
There is bound to be some impressive piece of machinery there for them to wonder at...

Mouse Game Mayhem

These kids were in for a shock at the Mouse Game when, much to their surprise, the mouse failed to appear!
It had been hiding in another box and was back at work in a moment.
(No mouse was harmed during the playing of this game)

Lunchtime at the Fair

Folks were out in force today, enjoying the fine weather and excellent fare. Queens Apples were serving up delicious carmel, whipped cream and nut covered apples; down the midway they were lining up for corndogs everywhere you looked; and it was a packed house at the Southern Wells Music Booth.

Special Day in Bluffton

Want to know why these people are smiling? Read all about it in Saturday's News-Banner.

Get 'em while they're hot!!

If you want something hot, sweet, delicious and homemade stop by the Pumpkin Kingdom booth. It's right in front of National City Bank on Marion Street.
Try a dozen mini-donuts, some real homemade pumpkin pie or an apple cider slushy.
Their farm is located in Southern Wells, but the Pumpkin Kingdom booth is a little slice of heaven right here in downtown Bluffton.
Read the complete story about Rex and Vivian Drennen in tomorrow's News-Banner.

Even More Marching Bands

There were so many great pictures it was hard to choose just a few. Here's a few more.