Executive Insight: A White County Tradition

There are certain things that just feel like home, and for generations of White Countians, the White County Fair has been one of them.

Fair week is almost here, and before long the fairgrounds will once again be filled with exhibits, rides, music, good food, and most importantly, people. You’ll see old friends you haven’t talked to in months, families walking the midway together, and plenty of folks debating which fair food deserves to be called supper.

The White County Fair has roots stretching all the way back to 1855. Think about that for a minute. Our community has been gathering for a fair since before the Civil War. The fair has changed plenty over those years, but the reason we gather really hasn’t.

At its heart, the fair is a celebration of White County. And maybe just as important, it gives us a reason to come together.

In a world where so much of our lives happens through a screen, there is something pretty special about thousands of people gathering in one place simply because this is our community and this is what we do.

I hope you’ll make plans to come out to the White County Fair this year. Bring the kids. Visit the exhibits. Support our young people. Eat something fried that probably shouldn’t be fried. Stop and talk to somebody you haven’t seen in a while.

And take a minute to appreciate a White County tradition that has been bringing our neighbors together for more than 170 years.

I’ll see you at the fair.

Thanks, DW.