Notes about Last day for the Fair!

The Pima County Fair has a wonderful set of old-time attractions that seem untouched and unchanged by the electronic age (except that the barker for the side show is a recording).  We love the crafters in Old Pueblo Hall tirelessly demonstrating gourd art, woodcarving, bonsai trimming and much more.  

The petting zoo is free unless you buy food for the critters, and sometimes its better not to - if you want to avoid being mobbed by the friendly goats, that is.  Even young wallabies come up to be stroked, according to one staff probably from a breeder in Oregon (unconfirmed).

Pima Hall holds a more serious exhibit, about AIDS in Africa.  Although I didn't care for the sales pitch on tape for donations to WorldVision, the volunteers there seemed dedicated and honest.  We did buy a bracelet made by a women's micro-enterprise group in Chikumbuso, Zambia, after talking with one of the volunteers who went personally to Zambia and met with one of the founders.  Linda and Bruce Wilkinson live there and have been working on poverty, AIDS and infrastructure for about 17 years.    They seem credible by other Internet reports, so I'm glad I bought the bracelet.  The money ($10) is supposed to go directly to the widows in the group, who also support many orphans and the grandmothers caring for them. http://www.chikumbuso.com/

And - oh yes, the rides.  We did a money-free day today (except for the bracelet) so we weren't doing rides, but you can be slingshotted into the sky, ride on a carousel, roller coaster, elephant, pony, or simulated bull among others.  The vendors are another great trip to a bygone era, I think fairs are one thing that hasn't changed in 20 years.