Things Every Sedalian Knows About Fair Month

The Missouri State Fair isn't just ten days.  I think everyone knows that. Really, it starts as soon as August 1st.  And, it lasts a good three days AFTER the fair is over.  It takes a lot to prepare for it, and to dismantle it, obviously.  But we've done this before, and we've got this.  Here are a few of my thoughts about what we all seem to just know about what I call Fair Month.

1.  You Avoid Limit and Broadway If Possible.

It's hard for me to do that, since my job is, you know, located on South Limit, but you know I find every little way to avoid going on the major lanes when I can.  I'll drive on Grand and Clinton and whip around to the station from the back way rather than sit and wait to turn left for ten minutes.  And I know alot of you avoid those streets too, 'cause I see you on Main, on 16th, 3rd street, etc.  Just remember that if your back route has a  lot of traffic, it's probably the rest of us trying to avoid the major roads, too.  We feel you.  Give us a little nod or something.  We're in this together.

2.  You Do A Huge Shopping Trip.  

I do this every year, and I think you do, too.  I will go to the store maybe the last day of July and I will shop like I'm getting ready to get in a bunker for a month. It's because when all the campers and other fairgoers come to town, you know they're gonna be out buying everything up. The lines will get super long, especially at the West Woods (*whimper* My favorite store....).  Wal Mart will be..... an adventure.  I don't really go to the People's Republic of Walton very often, but I avoid it like the plague during the Fair.  I mean, I COULD go out there, but I like the idea of getting home the same day I left without some kind of mental trauma.

3.  You Better Leave Early. 

I don't really have this problem when I'm leaving for work at the beginning of the day - because there just isn't a huge traffic problem at 4:00 a.m. in Sedalia.  But if you're going out to meet someone, or to go to a movie, or get to work, you'd better leave early.   Probably about a half an hour early.  The traffic is going to be pretty packed, and a lot of it are long campers and livestock trailers.  So if you don't wanna be late, you better plan on some "buffer time", even if you DO take every side street you can to get where you're going. You might think you don't need it, but you do. There are too many drivers out who aren't as familiar with our town as we are. That's just science, people.

4.  Your Service Will Suffer. 

The population of Sedalia is increasing every year, but we get a huge burst of people when the Fair Month comes.  So that means there's a ton more phones, tablets, laptops, all kinds of wireless devices.  So you're probably going to have a little trouble every now and then with service.  And you will especially notice that when you're on the grounds.  Sure, it's not like you're completely without, but it'll get spotty.  So if you think someone's blowing you off by not taking your call, chill your biscuits just a tad.  They might be in an outage spot.

What else do you notice about Fair Month?

Fairly yours,

Behka