Canfield Fair campers enjoy unique experience
We're all familiar with the food, the rides, and the animals at the Canfield Fair, but what a lot of us do not see is the little city just outside the gates that comes together for one week a year.
We're all familiar with the food, the rides, and the animals at the Canfield Fair, but what a lot of us do not see is the little city just outside the gates that comes together for one week a year.
It's a unique way to experience the fair that begins with a big breakfast.
"The breakfast is the best part, I won't lie," said Laura Moore.
Laura Moore's family's been camping here for 20 years and they come from across the globe to keep that tradition going.
"Uncle Paul and Uncle Darren come in from Australia and we come in from Charleston," said Ava Newhart. "It's just fun to see everybody every year."
"It's a family vacation for us," said Moore. "Sometimes we're like, 'Oh we forgot to go into the fair today.'"
It's actually that kind of flexibility that keeps a lot of them coming back. Timothy Whaley's celebrating 30 years in his spot.
"If you're up there walking around and you get a little tired, you can come back, sit in your lazy chair, go in your bed, lay down take a nap, get back up and go back in for the evening," said Whaley.
"You're packed in like sardines, but you don't mind because you're only here for a short time and you get to enjoy the fair every day," said Pat Ayers, who is camping for the 39th year at the fair.
For a week or so this is home for everyone. One of the cool things about camping back here is that your neighbors are basically the same year after year.
"My neighbors here have been the same neighbors for 30 years. We gather and we love being together and we share. It's like a little community and if somebody needs something you check who has what," said Ayers.
"It's such a cool thing to be able to make lifetime friends. From the fair, we have met friends that we go to their weddings now and we travel across the country to see them because they very much become a part of your family," said Moore.
"We just sit around and visit. Sometimes we'll go over there to eat. Sometimes they'll come over here to eat. We roam around. There's always plenty to eat out here," said Whaley.
It always comes back to food, whether you're inside the gates or outside. For the campers, it's a way to enjoy the Canfield Fair in a much different way all week long.
