The Hoppy Hiker

America’s oldest continuous fair

“You can’t die happy til’ you’ve been to the Jacktown Fair!” Some of the folk of the West Greene, Pennsylvania area will say, always with a grin. The phrase first appeared in the August 7th, 1931 edition of the Waynesburg Democrat Messenger. It originally read, “Visit Jacktown and die happy!”

Some locals loathe it, while others treat it like sacred tradition. The fair opens with its iconic parade, featuring mini and full-sized decorative floats, local fire trucks, horseback riders, and horse-drawn wagons.

I remember going to the fair as a kid and loving the dunk tank, or dunking booth, where young girls and boys could test their arm strength and see if they could send the heckler splashing into the cold water below. It always made me smile.

Carnival games were everywhere. Tossing rings onto empty Coke bottles to win a live rabbit was one I remember fondly. I won once when I was little, much to my father’s dismay, and we had to take a rabbit home. I loved that rabbit and took care of it for many years.

The fair this year seemed smaller. I don’t know if that’s because I’m no longer a child and the world isn’t as big, or if the fair has simply decreased in size.

A Ferris wheel stood tall, along with about a half dozen rides for the kids. Fixed motorcycles that spin in circles, and so on.

There is cotton candy a-plenty, corny-dawgs, and enough sugar to send a small child into a wild rage. As a once-a-year tradition, that’s not the worst thing that could happen, but having your child run in circles screaming about the dark of the moon might drive a single mom insane.

Antique tractors line up for show…

Goats give you a good stare…

And men with really long legs…

All part of the experience.

There is no fee to enter, but a pass can be purchased for those who wish to ride.

I went on a Saturday night, and being the kind soul that I am, I bought tickets for the demolition derby for myself and my good friend who traveled up from Tijuana, Mexico. He had a hankering to visit and see America’s oldest continuous fair.

The derby wasn’t as brutal as I remembered from childhood, but still loads of fun. The roar of the crowd, “Hit ‘em again!” is exactly what you come to hear. Cars catch fire, and the smell of burning gas and oil pairs nicely with your hot dog and cotton candy.

Afterwards, let your adrenaline settle as you enjoy the picturesque sunset on your way out. Be ready to hear your kids talk about an old-fashioned experience they will never forget.

Cheers!