We do have County 'fairs' in the UK, usually called County Shows, as a kid I'd go to the one at the East of England Showground in Peterborough where i grew up. They'd have steam traction engines, tractors and giant shire horses. Sheep and sheep dog trials. Lots of other farming equipment and sometimes classic cars. There would be loads of food stalls selling hot dogs, jacket potatoes, fish and chips and at least two huge spit roasting pigs. No kids on sheep or chasing piglets though, we'd think that was a bit cruel... to the animals, not the kids...lol.
New Zealand has something vaguely equivalent in it's Fieldays, and A&P Shows, more along the lines of the county shows the UK has. Much more in line with NZ culture though.
I used to "perform" at the East of England showground - American square dancing in the main arena. Always a fun day out. I've also been to the Suffolk county show a few times. They're really not that different from American county fair; I also both Orange County Fair and LA County Fair...as well as the California State Fair.
Aye, here in Scotland we have local shows . There's also the big annual Highland show at Ingliston in Edinburgh. This has a lot more entertainment than our local show though. Our l8cal show has competitions for the animals, show jumping, sheep shearing demos and old tractor displays. Sometimes there is Highland Dancing. The show jumping are qualifiers for bigger events. There' s no special food just burger vans but they are usually posh burger vans. We don't do pageants or rodeo, and its not about patriotism. Its really a chance for people to demonstrate skills and be rewarded for their husbandry, for farmers to socialise, and for the public to learn and get up close to farming. We also have local Highland Games, where they do all sorts of sports. The big differences are: no pageants; no religion; no rodeos; no patriotism. Just a nice day out for everyone.
As a Brit, I can’t count the number of times I muttered “oh, fuck off” to myself during this video. Props to Heather for keeping a straight face the whole time 😂😂😂
As a suburban boy from Florida: same. The South really is its own country, culturally speaking... guess that's why they tried to make that happen geopolitically as well 😂
Most UK Counties have a County Fair of some kind, which includes a lot of what was seen here. The exceptions are the 'rodeo' type events and the pig chasing. We do see piglet racing in some places - but not being chased by humans. It would be seen as as being against animal welfare. The other exception is the whole prayer and national anthem bit.....that's SO American.
One of my favorite County fair memories was about 5 years ago now. They had a pen set up to show off sheep herding. Due to a scheduling mix-up, this couple didn't have their collie with them at the pen. They DID have their eight year old son with them. He did a great job! Everyone cheered him on while he herded sheep. Kid had a LOT of energy.
@nigeh5326 kind of a regular vacuum vs. Roomba situation. In a real field that was super big? He wouldn't have been able to keep up with the dogs. 15' by 30' pen though? He did good! Didn't need the level of supervision/instruction herding dogs would need either. (8 year old kid understands WAAAY more human phrases than 8 year old collie) Kid had CLEARLY seen this done before. Less speed, but less supervision required.
I'd definitely recommend the child pageant episode of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia 😂 (If you've never seen that series, keep in mind it's a satirical show, and the main characters are meant to be horrible people to hate, not protagonists to cheer for. You have been warned.)
Tractor pulling is definitely a thing in the UK. I watched it this year at my local county show. English county shows are very similar to this American fair only there's definitely no Rodeo, fewer cowboy hats and with some more British things such as competitive sheep shearing and lots of local cheese stalls.
Heather- it is even uncharted territory for people who grew up in the north half of the state. NJ is such an insanely small state but cultures can be night and day different.
Yeah, I have extended family in New Brunswick, and from my experiences there, not once have I ever thought there would be half as much of the Southern-ness in Jersey that's in the video 😂
Same if you live on the edge of bigger British conurbations. I grew up on the edge of the Black Country and just a quarter of a mile away it all becomes countryside with farms and woodland. Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire all border my area of the West Midlands.
Aussie here, none of this was really surprising to me because we have agriculture shows here. We have chicken judging and horse riders doing barrel racing as well as the rodeo. I don’t think my show has mutton busting but I think other shows in Australia might There’s rides and a sideshow alley too with market stalls and show bags. My favourite part as a kid was always the show bag
Okay, but those are *amazing.* I've made them at home a few times, and they're just scrumptious. You dip them in batter -- at home, I go with Bisquick pancake mix. The cookie absorbs the oil, so it gets all soft, and the cream melts into the batter... the whole thing becomes a hot, soft, greasy, sweet, heart-attack-inducing piece of heaven.
My dad introduces my mother sometimes as "this is my FIRST wife". Yes, they're together. No, they've never been married to anyone else. My mom finds this really annoying, my dad thinks it's funny.
Agricultural shows are definitely a thing in the UK. The Bath & West Show and the Royal Welsh Show are some of the better known ones, though most rural counties will have their own. They have tractor pulls too.
As Heather is a Buckinghamshire girl, then maybe take a trip the Bucks County Show to see the British equivalent. Also, the smoke is part of the atmosphere. Literally true of course... nb. there is a UK tractor pulling championship, but I don't think it happens at country fairs. There are also traction engine pulls, but again not, I think, at county fairs. Those are at steam fairs, which I tend to think are quintessentially British, but I could be wrong. They do generate a lots of smoke too.
Many UK County Shows do include steam traction engines, horse-drawn vehicles, military displays, equestrian competitions and other "shows" - including such things as terrier racing. I think Evan going to one would make a good video.
My only knowledge of US county fairs comes from reading Charlotte's Web multiple times as a kid, so I only really thought about the "best looking animal" competition that Wilbur is in. With all the other activities and spectator events this looks like such a fun day out!!
upstate NYer here. Most of the county fairs I've been to have a demolition derby after the tractor pull, and a lumberjack competition happening throughout the day. Fascinating stuff lol
I enjoyed your county fair. We have them in the Midlands too, in the Uk, but we only ride horses. Lots of animal judging, cakes and crafts, tractors, dog agility, displays, food. They are great fun. Villages put on their own smaller versions. We have Wakes Fairs in the towns, which are huge fun fairs that visit for three or four days and set up through the streets. I lived for years in a London suburb and had no idea this went on.
On the rodeo riding, the bull is only going nuts cos of the rope around it's waist. 9:02 If you notice the guy in blue pulls the slip knot and the bull immediately calms down.
Looks fun! Apart from some of the animal stuff? Idk I just felt like some of the events were kind of cruel? When I was a kid, I remember getting put in a prison van at a UK country show. Does that count 😂😂
Have you ever been near any of these animals? You weren't specific, I have to guess you meant the bull or the sheep? It is the humans that are injured in these events. I guess the bull in your steak and kidney pie had a much better life.
Evan, not far from London : I recommend SouthOfEngland Summer show in Ardingly. Not as wild, but with plenty of beautiful farm animals (an odd pigs' race), great produce (food hall wth cider, pies & cheese counters being my favourite) & historic vehicles/engines, fun fair, etc. There is a Winter Show but not as pleasurable 😉 Love ya both - you make a cute couple ❤ Thank you for this episode: loved it, and now ....I want a fried pickle !
@amberatartimec2564 never had a chance to go to this one, but seeing it's fairly local and there is one planned next year...I might be tempted 😉 Thanks for the tip 🙂
As someone who’s gone to British county shows a lot as a kid, the smoke from the tractor pull seems tame compared to some of the traction engines I’ve seen rolling around the shows
remember that we get eggplant as a literal translation of the Arabic for “egg plant,” and British English got aubergine from the Arabic to Catalan to the French translation of “egg plant.” Also, the original plant absolutely looks like hard boiled white eggs on a stem.
In Norfolk (UK) we have troshs which are rural fairs/shows that showcases traditional farming methods, such as threshing, ploughing, and baling. The word "trosh" comes from the phrase "we're going troshin", which was used by farmers when they went out to gather the harvest with threshing machines.
Same across the UK counties and towns have long had fairs and shows to encourage people to visit but produce and just have a fun day. I used to love the 3 counties showground events in Malvern Worcestershire as a lad.
I'm British and I got taken to the local police station as part of the scouts to show us around the place, including the cells. It wasn't to scare us straight but it did have the opposite intended effect on us children as we were told the prisoners got McDonald's on Fridays.
This is so out there compared to the UK. The emphasis on agriculture, praying for the kiddy cowboys and cowgirls and singing the National Athen are all so American The closest thing to the county fair is my village’s fair which is very chill with commercial/game stalls of local companies/communities (local church, Scouts/Brownies, charities etc.), simple displays from Scouts (last time there were DIY trebuchets that they had made), overpriced food and drink and a performance from both the primary and secondary schools. To be fair, there is a family day and other days for adults that have more performances from local and fairly famous artists and more alcohol than the family day.
The thing with the kids is that you want to get the next generation interested in the events, so that as they grow up, they want to continue doing the stuff as adults. Without young people being involved, things will die off. Not every kid will like it, obviously, but some will get hooked for life. From my experience, I grew up going to a drag racing track (the kind at Englishtown, NJ and Santa Pod, for Evan and Heather) because my dad worked there. I grew to love it and still attend events at various tracks many times a year. Young people (kids and younger adults) are the lifeblood in keeping anything- sports, fairs, clubs, etc. alive and thriving. Also, as a southerner, I'm happy that Heather enjoyed sweet tea.
@@lloydedwards809 L take. If you think pampering people is healthy you have never met a sociopathic rich kid lol. Exposing children to various stimuli that might be uncomfortable to some degree is how you raise healthy children. Its either they ride a sheep for less then a second, or maybe we can go back to the way the Brits did it and have children learn to fence? I mean, I'm perfectly down to let children poke each others eyes out and slash each others faces; because why put animals at risk aye?
Reminds me a lot of the various country shows you get here. Tractor displays, classic cars, sheep and cattle competitions. The most recent one I went to had 'dancing' sheep, a young vs old farmers relay (silage wrapping and loading) and a wacky horse jumping and quadbike relay competition between some of the local hunts
There are some points to having extremely powerful tractors. First, there are harvesters and plows that you can pull that are very wide, and if it is soil that hasn't been plowed before, it will take a lot of work. However I think the biggest strain on a tractor in normal setting is probably pulling up stumps or rocks. There are stumps that even the biggest of those tractors wouldn't be able to pull, but the bigger the tractor the bigger stump you can pull and the easier it is to clear farmland.
funnel cake because you have to pour the batter through a funnel into oil. If you're in Europe come to Finland and get tippaleipä, americans trying to claim everything for themselves.
@@nathangamble125 The "funnel" part is from how it's made, or how it was originally made. It's basically like a pancake or waffle batter poured into a deep fryer through a funnel, so you get that kind of "pile of ribbons" thing going. I don't think they do it that way anymore, because efficiency probably.
Think about growing up on the farm as a little kid when you are awakened in the middle of the night by your parents because a pig, or cow got through the fence and the whole family had to go out in the dark trying to catch the animal. We kids had to stand in a row with our arms outstretched to help guide the animal back toward the fence. It was only cruel to we humans. The events at the fairs are a reflection of real rural life. Try walking a mile in their shoes before you make an ignorant judgment.
@@higgme1sterI grew up in the Black Country then an industrial area, but took holidays in N Wales a farming area. This gave me the chance to see how different things are in the country and how hard farmers work. The Farmer who owned the land we stayed on , John Williams was great with me and my sister showing us the chickens, cows and sheep how his collie herded the sheep etc. That was over 50 years ago but I still occasionally stay at the caravan site developed next to the farm and it’s still the Williams family that are there, just 3 generations on.
I’ve never seen this channel it was just randomly recommended to me lol. That said please take her to an NHRA drag race. Top fuel is simply the best. The exhaust is wild, you don’t need hearing to understand something wild is happening. The sound vibrates the air all around the track.
I live in Ireland, and we have lots of county fairs here. Similar to this. With chicken “beauty pageant”, cow auctions, demos of farm machines, flower arrangement competitions, sheep races, etc. Think some have plowing competitions too. The prison is really weird though, and riding bulls doesn’t happen here 😂
Catching greased pigs was once a thing in this country, but I think we're not talking the twentieth century here. I think the winning pig chaser (adult) was required to hold the squeaking thing above his head and the prize was, obviously, said pig. The other memorable (to me, at least) English country fair activity from the nineteenth century was hot hasty pudding eating. It combined competitive eating with burning pain. Also, there is (on the BBC, I think) a programme about animal owners, produce farmers, cheese makers et al and their preparations for their local county fair to exhibit whatever it is they brought with them.
This is not too dissimilar to the Agricultural Show that he used to go to in a village in South Wales. People salivating over tractors and farm machinery, sheep dogs displays, coiffured cattle and sheep. Giant vegetables and perfect floral displays. Ahh memories.
Rural Brit here. At our country show we had sheep sheering. I still have a photo of my 9 year old daughter standing on a sheeps neck clippers in hand. it was somewhat brutal.
County fairs definitely exist in the Uk but without the rodeo aspects. Though I have seen donkey racing, pig racing and there is usually a birds of prey display and sometimes a petting zoo (I got to pet a skunk once). Near me we have the Caerphilly big cheese festival, lots of rides, many food and crafts stalls, medieval re-enactments and several live music/ performances stages. At full size it covers most of the town centre and the castle (it’s been mini for the past few years though due to repairs on the castle).
As a Brit I’ve always wanted to visit the USA. Yes to see New York and Washington but I also want to go to an area like Salem County and sit in a diner eating an American breakfast drinking coffee and just listening to Americans chewing the cud (chatting). The County Fair reminds me in some ways of the county fairs I saw at places such as Malvern Showground and the Warwickshire show.
I'd LOVE to do some kind of cross country road trip of the US some time, it just seems so hostile nowadays. And obviously I feel like you can't talk politics, religion or any views on life without getting into a shouting match or gun fight. Maybe I watch too much news...
As a Canadian this all seemed very familiar up until the national anthem and prayer. That is odd. Also my local fair has a different set of events. No sheep riding or bull riding, or pig scramble. Horse pull, tractor pull, truck pull, demo derby. Various other horse events, barrel racing for example. There is a kids tractor pull, with pedal tractors.
Half the country would not find it strange. They actually love their freedoms and as a result, their gratefulness is shown through prayer and singing the national anthem. I went to a conservative political event and they said a prayer, recited the pledge of allegiance and sang the national anthem. An event like this is way better than staring at your phone.
@jamesdellaneve9005 You want to explain to me the connection between "I love freedom" and "I will make a bunch of children line up and kneel while I pray for them"? Is it just "I'm legally allowed to indoctrinate children into my particular religion, and I appreciate that"? I may come across as rude, but that's just frustration. Americans seem to think that freedom is both uniquely American and also synonymous with nationalism and religion.
Now we need heather to take you to a British fair/fayre. I've always loved sash the crockery. Edit that kid sheep riding looks bloody dangerous Also we very much use big lawnmowers, we have 2 at work, a john deer and an iseki I suppose the uk equivelant of tractor pulls would be a steam fair
mutton busting is pretty safe compared to bullriding. they're not high off the ground, so they don't fall and the sheep aren't really violent like the bulls are.
I'm not huge on the idea of the pig scramble. I'm kind of just worried about the pigs getting hurt or traumatised by horde of children chasing them. Although, I do like the general idea of an event of appreciation for agriculture, because farm-work seems difficult.
Though they are distantly related, tomatillos are not tomatoes and certainly not the same thing as green tomatoes, which are unripe tomatoes, though there are also tomato varieties that remain green when ripe. I've been hearing more confusion about this since tomatillos and heirloom tomatoes have become more popular here in the states.
As kids in the uk. We visited the old courts in stafford. Upstairs had been turned into a library. Old court still set up. Definitely can say we went in cells. Think it just depends on what is around you in your local history. We spent a lot of time at stafford castle and large churches.
Funnel cake is dependent on who is making it, the batter that is used, and the method of cooking. Good funnel cake is made with two different pots of oil at two different temperatures to make sure it is cooked evenly throughout. If you ever take Heather to Dollywood, they make them right. Also, get the apple cobbler added on top, because it's divine.
The problem that most non-Americans have with sweet tea is they are trying it without ice and when they are in a nice cool climate. To TRULY appreciate sweet tea, they need to try it after walking a couple of miles in 90+ degree heat and sweat is running down their butt crack. Then, AND ONLY THEN, will they understand our obsession. In all fairness, I don't really care for sweet tea, I personally like it plain with ice. I also don't put my french-fries in ketchup, I don't pour BBQ sauce on brisket and I don't put taco sauce on my Taco Bell tacos.
This was really interesting Evan! BUT 000H! I’m looking so forward to the 5 cities you’re going to do!! I’m Canadian, so I’m anxious to see what Canadian city(ies?) you picked. But I can probably guess 😢😢😢.
I grew up in Norfolk in the 80s and the Norfolk Show used to have tractor pulling competitions. All the other stuff was there too, animal showing, vegetable competitions, lawnmowers and lights of tractors. No rodeo though unsurprisingly, sheep or bull. The show continues to this day, but the tractor pulling disappeared many years ago.
Many experiences at fairs in Minnesota, including very prominently sheep, but never mutton bustin'. Lived for a while in the "lawyers driving hybrids" part of NJ. My most recent fair experience was a disappointing one at the Alaska State Fair.
In the UK, my dad organized for the police to come to our home, when I was about 6 or 7. They gave him a brandy, then breathalysed him with the old chemical breathalyser. Then they drove us to the police station in the back of a patrol car (a Rover P5 3500, I think). Then we were shown all around, put into the cells, then taken up through the corridor to the county court, which was in the same building. Then we got to see the police dogs and look at the vehicles. The police used to visit the local fairs all the time, you could chat with them and sit in the cars, the same for the Fire Brigade. At the County Shows, there would be the prize animals and all the argricultural equipment on display.
I am a Brit who works at UCLA. My boss is Asian and loves watching the pig cam live stream at Orange County Fair. I never understood the fascination and this video really confirmed I don't understand county fairs
It's just having fun. Not all of them have rodeos either. Some may have livestock shows and most have small amusement rides. There's nothing really to it besides that.
@@amicableenmity9820 I think (and Sophie can correct me if I'm wrong) they understand that it's "having fun", but they were saying they don't understand why people consider these things fun. At least... I'm also confused on that point 😂 "Let's put kids on the back of an animal that will throw them off -- that's fun, right?" Or "let's get a big diesel-powered engine and use it to... pull stuff... yay?" I dunno, I guess you really either have to be Southern and/or grow up with these things to get what's so fun about it. (I would, however, enjoy the food.)
@@IceMetalPunk What you are seeing is a reflection of real rural life. I'll never forget my oldest brother (RIP) get on the back of the neighbor's hog and ride it around the hog lot until he was dumped into the muck. Mister McKinnon wasn't happy.
@@IceMetalPunk yes that was what I meant, I don't see the appeal. But so long as the animals aren't being hurt, then if that's your thing, great, enjoy your day out
This makes me miss my county fair. I was in 4h and FFA all through school and the county fair was the biggest event of the year in our town. We litterally plan my family reunions for the weekend of the fair. Though we dont have some of the events that apparently this fair does, they all seemed pretty on par with what i think of when it comes to fair activities.
Surely there has to be a UK equivalent of this going on somewhere in the West Country. A cider-fuelled, traction engine rally somewhere in Devon. Also pig-scrambling is one thing, Gloucestershire folks scramble for cheese. I don't think the Brits have a moral high ground here. Nor do we Aussies tbh.
Evan, just casually bring up to her (probably now by phone, since this is probably ancient history) that in the Alaska State Fair, because of the 24-hour daylight in the summer, pumpkins can weigh 500#, with other vegetables also growing to ridiculous sizes. I'm curious as to what the pageantry was about. Can you fill us in? This is soo different than what she'd have seen in Essex and Bergen counties. Not to infer that I'm from NJ. I live NW of Chicago in IL.
Again! Another delightful video! I grew up in tx and always assumed fairs existed in every state but it feels weird to see it in N.Jersey The insane levels of air pollution for the tractor pull 😂😂😂
Oh H€LL yes!! I love these kinds of videos!!! I like learning other peoples perspectives and perceptions of things they did not grow up with in their homelands!!!🐑🐐🐖🐄🎠🎡🎢🎟️ Not that she didn’t grow up with amusement, parks, and festivals and things; but there are some uniquely American aspects to a county fair!
Hold on hold on. The Thor's hammer with the runes, that's just regular old Renaissance Faire nerds, right? And there's no clash between these neopagans and the default agricultural people? I'm not suggesting that there's any other new movements that claim the Thor's hammer.
You can find County Shows and local country fairs in every county here in UK. There isn't any mutton bustin or piglet chasing, at least none i've seen, but plenrt of animals, produce and farm machinery on display. I've even seen tractor drag racing at one. Plenty to see here in East Sussex every summer.
Heather is a keeper. Also, a few thoughts about the fair. It's really a showcase of farming culture. The same thing happens in the UK - varying a bit, think the Highland show. The fair on the east coast is a bit different than in the mid-west which is a bit different than in the west. But all in all they, along with events like the Highland show all include showing off your animals, farming equipment, skills (bull riding, quilting, canning, crops grown,) and "fair food." It's a chance to get together and socialize, for many in the farming community it's the highlight of their year.
We love funnel cake, but the portion that you were served seemed rather small. I've never tried deep fried pickles so that is now on my bucket list. In addition to county shows in Britain, many of the events also take place at Steam Rallies, Car Shows and Flower Shows.
WHAT? You couldn't find good CORNDOGS there? What on earth is wrong with those people? Oh...New Jersey. Seriously, though, I had no idea there were rodeos and a bible belt in NJ. I loved Heather's side-eye whenever an especially strange American thing would happen. By the way, that last little boy on the sheep who rocketed out of the chute - what a champion, even if he did fall off!🤠
Others have mentioned County Shows, but also in the Peak District/Staffs Moorlands we have "Welldressings" and my local one is like a mini County Show, just with the added dressing and blessing of the well, crowning of the welldressing queen, maypole dancing... Definitely more quirky and unique!
As a Canadian, I feel like the in-between of these two. We don't have county fair equivalents, but I could get a funnel cake or sweet lemonade if I wanted.
Several events a bit heavy on the animal cruelty, which I'm surprised you didn't mention. I know it's just part of the culture, so the locals probably don't notice or give it a second thought, so not judging too hard, but it did stand out for me. We do have county shows here which are quite similar, apart from that aspect. The animals are mainly just "shown" and judged, rather than being ridden or subjected to trauma from kids.
It's controversial for sure. Those who train the event animals and run the events claim the animals are not abused, not hurt, and in fact are pampered and enjoy performing. As someone with no experience on either side of it, and no stake in it, I can't say what's true, though I think it's kind of dumb anyway, personally. But it is a bit weird that we as humans from any one of most of the cultures on Earth are like, "forcing a horse to let us on its back and nail metal to its toenails and carry a bunch of heavy stuff? Sure, no problem! Getting on a bull's back for a few minutes for a show and letting it get rid of us? Nah, that's cruel!"
Just what I thought too. Like for example even if the bulls are treated well, having someone put on their back and into a ring surrounded by loud people is stressful, to put it mildly.
@@IceMetalPunk with respect, as someone who has worked with horses for a bit when i was growing up if they dont want you (or something else) on their back they _will_ throw you (or it) off, like you see the bulls trying to do here. Obviously if you are using spurs or harsh bits or the like its different, but thats not generally what is used. Horseshoes are also another thing which are important to note, as while yes it is nailing metal into their toenail, its vastly different from the image that creates in your head. Obviously, horse hooves are much, much thicker than human toenails, and so attaching a horseshoe correctly means there shouldnt be close to any contact between actual foot and metal. Meanwhile, the horseshoe protects against small rocks and such which can damage and crack the hoof, resulting in genuine problems, and reduces the wear and tear experienced, overall making it more comfortable for the horse. Like an actual shoe. The difference between riding horses and here is that these animals very clearly dont want these people on their back, yet are having them forced on anyway. And while i could buy that the bulls are trained with sufficient evidence (though i doubt it), the sheep the kids rode certainly arent.
![ปฏิเสธไม่ไหว (Crush on you) - LIPTA feat. No One Else [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/NBw1jF342vw/mqdefault.jpg)
Next episode, Heather takes Evan to Gloucester for the Cheese-Rolling.
Followed by the Bridgewater carnival and Ottery barrel carrying.
Followed by the Atherstone Ball Game for some light hearted banter 😉 .
@@shaunbyrne9037 and then to Tetbury for woolsack racing
Genius
Lts not forget the flaming barrel rolling.
And county fairs in the Uk are a serious business 😂👍
We do have County 'fairs' in the UK, usually called County Shows, as a kid I'd go to the one at the East of England Showground in Peterborough where i grew up. They'd have steam traction engines, tractors and giant shire horses. Sheep and sheep dog trials. Lots of other farming equipment and sometimes classic cars. There would be loads of food stalls selling hot dogs, jacket potatoes, fish and chips and at least two huge spit roasting pigs. No kids on sheep or chasing piglets though, we'd think that was a bit cruel... to the animals, not the kids...lol.
New Zealand has something vaguely equivalent in it's Fieldays, and A&P Shows, more along the lines of the county shows the UK has. Much more in line with NZ culture though.
I used to "perform" at the East of England showground - American square dancing in the main arena. Always a fun day out. I've also been to the Suffolk county show a few times. They're really not that different from American county fair; I also both Orange County Fair and LA County Fair...as well as the California State Fair.
At least it's not bull fighting like they do in Spain.
yeah here in Nottingham we have Goose Fair which has been happening in some form for the past 740 years.
Aye, here in Scotland we have local shows . There's also the big annual Highland show at Ingliston in Edinburgh.
This has a lot more entertainment than our local show though. Our l8cal show has competitions for the animals, show jumping, sheep shearing demos and old tractor displays. Sometimes there is Highland Dancing. The show jumping are qualifiers for bigger events. There' s no special food just burger vans but they are usually posh burger vans. We don't do pageants or rodeo, and its not about patriotism. Its really a chance for people to demonstrate skills and be rewarded for their husbandry, for farmers to socialise, and for the public to learn and get up close to farming. We also have local Highland Games, where they do all sorts of sports. The big differences are: no pageants; no religion; no rodeos; no patriotism. Just a nice day out for everyone.
As a Brit, I can’t count the number of times I muttered “oh, fuck off” to myself during this video. Props to Heather for keeping a straight face the whole time 😂😂😂
Bemused.
I was the same as someone from NYC lol.
@
As someone from NYC, how do you find yourself bemused by fellow Americans who are not from NYC?
*how often
For me, a Filipino, it was 'What even is that?'
As a suburban boy from Florida: same. The South really is its own country, culturally speaking... guess that's why they tried to make that happen geopolitically as well 😂
Most UK Counties have a County Fair of some kind, which includes a lot of what was seen here.
The exceptions are the 'rodeo' type events and the pig chasing. We do see piglet racing in some places - but not being chased by humans. It would be seen as as being against animal welfare.
The other exception is the whole prayer and national anthem bit.....that's SO American.
I’ve not seen pig racing at a county show, I have seen ferret racing though.
Lincolnshire show has pig racing
I found the prayer bit strange as an American and I was raised Christian. 😂
We had sheep racing
Yeah, that bit was cringey and vomit-inducing
One of my favorite County fair memories was about 5 years ago now.
They had a pen set up to show off sheep herding.
Due to a scheduling mix-up, this couple didn't have their collie with them at the pen.
They DID have their eight year old son with them.
He did a great job! Everyone cheered him on while he herded sheep. Kid had a LOT of energy.
But did he do a better job than the collies?
@nigeh5326 kind of a regular vacuum vs. Roomba situation. In a real field that was super big? He wouldn't have been able to keep up with the dogs. 15' by 30' pen though? He did good! Didn't need the level of supervision/instruction herding dogs would need either. (8 year old kid understands WAAAY more human phrases than 8 year old collie) Kid had CLEARLY seen this done before. Less speed, but less supervision required.
@@annebolynzarsilve Nice.
Child pageants are one of those things I hear about and think "how is that still legal?"
I'd definitely recommend the child pageant episode of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia 😂 (If you've never seen that series, keep in mind it's a satirical show, and the main characters are meant to be horrible people to hate, not protagonists to cheer for. You have been warned.)
@@IceMetalPunk"I'm going backstage now. To MY dressing room. Which is nowhere near the kids dressing room, which is on the other side of the stage"
gotta think Saville would have loved them...
I love watching evan being American. It's so surreal
From what I've seen she's hardly English, she seems to know nothing about the UK. 🤣
@@user-yv2cz8oj1k...what lol?
Did you hear his accent change during the pig scramble? It suddenly got so "country" at around 13:30, lol
Tractor pulling is definitely a thing in the UK. I watched it this year at my local county show. English county shows are very similar to this American fair only there's definitely no Rodeo, fewer cowboy hats and with some more British things such as competitive sheep shearing and lots of local cheese stalls.
Or saying a prayer to your god?
Heather- it is even uncharted territory for people who grew up in the north half of the state. NJ is such an insanely small state but cultures can be night and day different.
Yeah, I have extended family in New Brunswick, and from my experiences there, not once have I ever thought there would be half as much of the Southern-ness in Jersey that's in the video 😂
Same if you live on the edge of bigger British conurbations.
I grew up on the edge of the Black Country and just a quarter of a mile away it all becomes countryside with farms and woodland.
Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire all border my area of the West Midlands.
I grew up in Sussex County and the county fair there was massive. Go see it if you get a chance.
"insanely small" is still larger than half of my entire country (Netherlands)
Aussie here, none of this was really surprising to me because we have agriculture shows here. We have chicken judging and horse riders doing barrel racing as well as the rodeo. I don’t think my show has mutton busting but I think other shows in Australia might
There’s rides and a sideshow alley too with market stalls and show bags. My favourite part as a kid was always the show bag
Australia also has lawnmower racing
@ oh nice, my local one doesn’t do that but we do poddy calf riding instead of sheep
Deep fried Oreos? Sounds like something you’d get at Glasgow fair. 😂
Deep fried oreos are amazing!
Okay, but those are *amazing.* I've made them at home a few times, and they're just scrumptious. You dip them in batter -- at home, I go with Bisquick pancake mix. The cookie absorbs the oil, so it gets all soft, and the cream melts into the batter... the whole thing becomes a hot, soft, greasy, sweet, heart-attack-inducing piece of heaven.
Wouldn't that be Mars bars?
When I see "my British girlfriend", I always think that there is another AMERICAN girlfriend
😂
Don't give him any ideals!
My dad introduces my mother sometimes as "this is my FIRST wife". Yes, they're together. No, they've never been married to anyone else. My mom finds this really annoying, my dad thinks it's funny.
Agricultural shows are definitely a thing in the UK. The Bath & West Show and the Royal Welsh Show are some of the better known ones, though most rural counties will have their own. They have tractor pulls too.
As Heather is a Buckinghamshire girl, then maybe take a trip the Bucks County Show to see the British equivalent.
Also, the smoke is part of the atmosphere. Literally true of course...
nb. there is a UK tractor pulling championship, but I don't think it happens at country fairs. There are also traction engine pulls, but again not, I think, at county fairs. Those are at steam fairs, which I tend to think are quintessentially British, but I could be wrong. They do generate a lots of smoke too.
Steam fairs are also very common in the U.S. and Canada. At least in the mid-west where I am from.
Many UK County Shows do include steam traction engines, horse-drawn vehicles, military displays, equestrian competitions and other "shows" - including such things as terrier racing. I think Evan going to one would make a good video.
I love traction and steam rallys. The atmosphere is amazing and listening to commentators is comedy gold (if you can understand them😂).
I quite liked the tractors to start with but not so much now. I'm an ex-tractor fan....
Don't call us, we will call you! Next!
that sucks!
My only knowledge of US county fairs comes from reading Charlotte's Web multiple times as a kid, so I only really thought about the "best looking animal" competition that Wilbur is in. With all the other activities and spectator events this looks like such a fun day out!!
It is fun. This fair was missing the carnival rides and games that most fairs have. Next level is a state fair which is like a county fair X10.
upstate NYer here. Most of the county fairs I've been to have a demolition derby after the tractor pull, and a lumberjack competition happening throughout the day. Fascinating stuff lol
I enjoyed your county fair. We have them in the Midlands too, in the Uk, but we only ride horses.
Lots of animal judging, cakes and crafts, tractors, dog agility, displays, food. They are great fun.
Villages put on their own smaller versions.
We have Wakes Fairs in the towns, which are huge fun fairs that visit for three or four days and set up through the streets.
I lived for years in a London suburb and had no idea this went on.
And some of the village ones can be pretty impressive, see Hecklington for example.
I live in the Black Country and as a lad used to go to the Malvern Showgrounds for shows there. I always enjoyed it.
I went to a Northumberland village fair recently and they had sheep racing, they just put lightweight dummies on the back as 'jockeys' 🤣
On the rodeo riding, the bull is only going nuts cos of the rope around it's waist. 9:02 If you notice the guy in blue pulls the slip knot and the bull immediately calms down.
I was always told that the rope was tied between it's neck and scrotum. Every time it looks up, the knot tightened.
Looks fun! Apart from some of the animal stuff? Idk I just felt like some of the events were kind of cruel? When I was a kid, I remember getting put in a prison van at a UK country show. Does that count 😂😂
Have you ever been near any of these animals? You weren't specific, I have to guess you meant the bull or the sheep? It is the humans that are injured in these events. I guess the bull in your steak and kidney pie had a much better life.
@@Clarice-rp7mh Just because you're going to slaughter and eat an animal eventually it doesn't mean it's ok to be cruel in the meantime.
Evan, not far from London : I recommend SouthOfEngland Summer show in Ardingly. Not as wild, but with plenty of beautiful farm animals (an odd pigs' race), great produce (food hall wth cider, pies & cheese counters being my favourite) & historic vehicles/engines, fun fair, etc. There is a Winter Show but not as pleasurable 😉 Love ya both - you make a cute couple ❤ Thank you for this episode: loved it, and now ....I want a fried pickle !
Also cowpie in Lingfield, although they've had to call it off last couple of years
@amberatartimec2564 never had a chance to go to this one, but seeing it's fairly local and there is one planned next year...I might be tempted 😉 Thanks for the tip 🙂
As someone who’s gone to British county shows a lot as a kid, the smoke from the tractor pull seems tame compared to some of the traction engines I’ve seen rolling around the shows
remember that we get eggplant as a literal translation of the Arabic for “egg plant,” and British English got aubergine from the Arabic to Catalan to the French translation of “egg plant.” Also, the original plant absolutely looks like hard boiled white eggs on a stem.
In Norfolk (UK) we have troshs which are rural fairs/shows that showcases traditional farming methods, such as threshing, ploughing, and baling. The word "trosh" comes from the phrase "we're going troshin", which was used by farmers when they went out to gather the harvest with threshing machines.
Same across the UK counties and towns have long had fairs and shows to encourage people to visit but produce and just have a fun day.
I used to love the 3 counties showground events in Malvern Worcestershire as a lad.
In the words of Stephen Fry, "normal for Norfolk"....
I'm British and I got taken to the local police station as part of the scouts to show us around the place, including the cells. It wasn't to scare us straight but it did have the opposite intended effect on us children as we were told the prisoners got McDonald's on Fridays.
This is so out there compared to the UK. The emphasis on agriculture, praying for the kiddy cowboys and cowgirls and singing the National Athen are all so American
The closest thing to the county fair is my village’s fair which is very chill with commercial/game stalls of local companies/communities (local church, Scouts/Brownies, charities etc.), simple displays from Scouts (last time there were DIY trebuchets that they had made), overpriced food and drink and a performance from both the primary and secondary schools. To be fair, there is a family day and other days for adults that have more performances from local and fairly famous artists and more alcohol than the family day.
The thing with the kids is that you want to get the next generation interested in the events, so that as they grow up, they want to continue doing the stuff as adults. Without young people being involved, things will die off. Not every kid will like it, obviously, but some will get hooked for life. From my experience, I grew up going to a drag racing track (the kind at Englishtown, NJ and Santa Pod, for Evan and Heather) because my dad worked there. I grew to love it and still attend events at various tracks many times a year. Young people (kids and younger adults) are the lifeblood in keeping anything- sports, fairs, clubs, etc. alive and thriving. Also, as a southerner, I'm happy that Heather enjoyed sweet tea.
Normalising violence & animal 'abuse' for everyone, especially children
@@lloydedwards809 That's better than being a pansy arse.
@@lloydedwards809squeal like a pig for us
@@lloydedwards809 L take. If you think pampering people is healthy you have never met a sociopathic rich kid lol. Exposing children to various stimuli that might be uncomfortable to some degree is how you raise healthy children. Its either they ride a sheep for less then a second, or maybe we can go back to the way the Brits did it and have children learn to fence? I mean, I'm perfectly down to let children poke each others eyes out and slash each others faces; because why put animals at risk aye?
Reminds me a lot of the various country shows you get here. Tractor displays, classic cars, sheep and cattle competitions. The most recent one I went to had 'dancing' sheep, a young vs old farmers relay (silage wrapping and loading) and a wacky horse jumping and quadbike relay competition between some of the local hunts
There are some points to having extremely powerful tractors. First, there are harvesters and plows that you can pull that are very wide, and if it is soil that hasn't been plowed before, it will take a lot of work. However I think the biggest strain on a tractor in normal setting is probably pulling up stumps or rocks. There are stumps that even the biggest of those tractors wouldn't be able to pull, but the bigger the tractor the bigger stump you can pull and the easier it is to clear farmland.
Thats what a funnel cake is?? I honestly had no idea what I'd expect, but definitely thought it'd be more cake-y
funnel cake because you have to pour the batter through a funnel into oil. If you're in Europe come to Finland and get tippaleipä, americans trying to claim everything for themselves.
I thought it would be funnel-shaped. I've seen pictures before where it's wrapped into a funnel.
I thought it would be more liek a chimney cake. It's a Hungarian snack I think.
Honestly, funnel cake is just an excuse to eat powdered sugar
@@nathangamble125 The "funnel" part is from how it's made, or how it was originally made. It's basically like a pancake or waffle batter poured into a deep fryer through a funnel, so you get that kind of "pile of ribbons" thing going. I don't think they do it that way anymore, because efficiency probably.
The UK has fairs where the best animals and veg are judged. I, personally, feel the riding or catching animals are cruel
Maybe a pony ride would be better, because I do feel bad for the sheep and the piglets.
Thankfully no grovelling to church and country through.
Think about growing up on the farm as a little kid when you are awakened in the middle of the night by your parents because a pig, or cow got through the fence and the whole family had to go out in the dark trying to catch the animal. We kids had to stand in a row with our arms outstretched to help guide the animal back toward the fence. It was only cruel to we humans.
The events at the fairs are a reflection of real rural life. Try walking a mile in their shoes before you make an ignorant judgment.
@@higgme1sterI grew up in the Black Country then an industrial area, but took holidays in N Wales a farming area.
This gave me the chance to see how different things are in the country and how hard farmers work. The Farmer who owned the land we stayed on , John Williams was great with me and my sister showing us the chickens, cows and sheep how his collie herded the sheep etc.
That was over 50 years ago but I still occasionally stay at the caravan site developed next to the farm and it’s still the Williams family that are there, just 3 generations on.
@@FreeFlyerUkhow's that working out for y'all?
I’ve never seen this channel it was just randomly recommended to me lol. That said please take her to an NHRA drag race. Top fuel is simply the best. The exhaust is wild, you don’t need hearing to understand something wild is happening. The sound vibrates the air all around the track.
I live in Ireland, and we have lots of county fairs here. Similar to this. With chicken “beauty pageant”, cow auctions, demos of farm machines, flower arrangement competitions, sheep races, etc.
Think some have plowing competitions too.
The prison is really weird though, and riding bulls doesn’t happen here 😂
The greatest song on earth. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Catching greased pigs was once a thing in this country, but I think we're not talking the twentieth century here. I think the winning pig chaser (adult) was required to hold the squeaking thing above his head and the prize was, obviously, said pig. The other memorable (to me, at least) English country fair activity from the nineteenth century was hot hasty pudding eating. It combined competitive eating with burning pain.
Also, there is (on the BBC, I think) a programme about animal owners, produce farmers, cheese makers et al and their preparations for their local county fair to exhibit whatever it is they brought with them.
21:06 Heather's tractor-attractor face is pure gold 😂 I love the chemistry between you two 😊
I am surprised to see this in New Jersey! Thanks Evan, for broadening my horizons as an American!
This is not too dissimilar to the Agricultural Show that he used to go to in a village in South Wales. People salivating over tractors and farm machinery, sheep dogs displays, coiffured cattle and sheep. Giant vegetables and perfect floral displays. Ahh memories.
Rural Brit here. At our country show we had sheep sheering. I still have a photo of my 9 year old daughter standing on a sheeps neck clippers in hand. it was somewhat brutal.
County fairs definitely exist in the Uk but without the rodeo aspects. Though I have seen donkey racing, pig racing and there is usually a birds of prey display and sometimes a petting zoo (I got to pet a skunk once). Near me we have the Caerphilly big cheese festival, lots of rides, many food and crafts stalls, medieval re-enactments and several live music/ performances stages. At full size it covers most of the town centre and the castle (it’s been mini for the past few years though due to repairs on the castle).
As a Brit I’ve always wanted to visit the USA.
Yes to see New York and Washington but I also want to go to an area like Salem County and sit in a diner eating an American breakfast drinking coffee and just listening to Americans chewing the cud (chatting).
The County Fair reminds me in some ways of the county fairs I saw at places such as Malvern Showground and the Warwickshire show.
I'd LOVE to do some kind of cross country road trip of the US some time, it just seems so hostile nowadays. And obviously I feel like you can't talk politics, religion or any views on life without getting into a shouting match or gun fight. Maybe I watch too much news...
As a Canadian this all seemed very familiar up until the national anthem and prayer. That is odd. Also my local fair has a different set of events. No sheep riding or bull riding, or pig scramble. Horse pull, tractor pull, truck pull, demo derby. Various other horse events, barrel racing for example. There is a kids tractor pull, with pedal tractors.
"...up until the national anthem and prayer. That is odd." Unfortunately, it's not even close to odd for the US 😢
@@IceMetalPunk Many Americans would find it odd that you find it "unfortunate". Not me, but many Americans.
Half the country would not find it strange. They actually love their freedoms and as a result, their gratefulness is shown through prayer and singing the national anthem. I went to a conservative political event and they said a prayer, recited the pledge of allegiance and sang the national anthem. An event like this is way better than staring at your phone.
@jamesdellaneve9005 You want to explain to me the connection between "I love freedom" and "I will make a bunch of children line up and kneel while I pray for them"? Is it just "I'm legally allowed to indoctrinate children into my particular religion, and I appreciate that"?
I may come across as rude, but that's just frustration. Americans seem to think that freedom is both uniquely American and also synonymous with nationalism and religion.
@@AmandaFromWisconsin Obviously; that's why it's not at all odd here. I still find that unfortunate.
Now we need heather to take you to a British fair/fayre. I've always loved sash the crockery.
Edit that kid sheep riding looks bloody dangerous
Also we very much use big lawnmowers, we have 2 at work, a john deer and an iseki
I suppose the uk equivelant of tractor pulls would be a steam fair
mutton busting is pretty safe compared to bullriding. they're not high off the ground, so they don't fall and the sheep aren't really violent like the bulls are.
some areas also race suped up lawnmowers.
I'm not huge on the idea of the pig scramble. I'm kind of just worried about the pigs getting hurt or traumatised by horde of children chasing them.
Although, I do like the general idea of an event of appreciation for agriculture, because farm-work seems difficult.
We only had a single greased pig to catch.
Says the person that’s never played with a pig!😂
Isn't there also the potential trauma for some of the children being forced to chase or ride the animals?
I’m American, never seen a portable jail cell.
I thought the timing of talking about American culture, then having someone going into a Jail cell was thinking "Yeah, that's about right"
As an expat, this is incredibly nostalgic to watch. There’s definitely nothing quite like a county fair in Japan
Though they are distantly related, tomatillos are not tomatoes and certainly not the same thing as green tomatoes, which are unripe tomatoes, though there are also tomato varieties that remain green when ripe. I've been hearing more confusion about this since tomatillos and heirloom tomatoes have become more popular here in the states.
Hear, hear! I doubt Evan will be able to find tomatillos in England, unfortunately, except in cans.
The anthem and prayer before the mutton busting 😆
Evan, I think you've earned the right to never have to say "pun intended". All your puns are intended.
I love US unsweetened Ice Tea and always get it when I can when I visit. It is amazing we in the UK cannot easily get it over here.
The kid at 16:40 just developed a life long obsession over women with an English accent.
Love to ya both, cheers! 💚🙏🏼
Well, of course, we have nothing as sophisticated as Kick Fighting, Cheese Rolling, fried Mars Bars, so I can understand your girlfriend's shock.
You forgot Shin Kicking and Gut Busting.
As kids in the uk. We visited the old courts in stafford. Upstairs had been turned into a library. Old court still set up. Definitely can say we went in cells. Think it just depends on what is around you in your local history. We spent a lot of time at stafford castle and large churches.
I went to a tractor pulling event here in Sweden as a child. Absolutely awesome!
This should literally be a blockbuster 🤩🤣
Funnel cake is dependent on who is making it, the batter that is used, and the method of cooking. Good funnel cake is made with two different pots of oil at two different temperatures to make sure it is cooked evenly throughout. If you ever take Heather to Dollywood, they make them right. Also, get the apple cobbler added on top, because it's divine.
The problem that most non-Americans have with sweet tea is they are trying it without ice and when they are in a nice cool climate. To TRULY appreciate sweet tea, they need to try it after walking a couple of miles in 90+ degree heat and sweat is running down their butt crack. Then, AND ONLY THEN, will they understand our obsession. In all fairness, I don't really care for sweet tea, I personally like it plain with ice. I also don't put my french-fries in ketchup, I don't pour BBQ sauce on brisket and I don't put taco sauce on my Taco Bell tacos.
This was really interesting Evan! BUT 000H! I’m looking so forward to the 5 cities you’re going to do!! I’m Canadian, so I’m anxious to see what Canadian city(ies?) you picked. But I can probably guess 😢😢😢.
I notice the pigs were kept in the most well-ventilated pens 🙂
I grew up in Norfolk in the 80s and the Norfolk Show used to have tractor pulling competitions. All the other stuff was there too, animal showing, vegetable competitions, lawnmowers and lights of tractors. No rodeo though unsurprisingly, sheep or bull.
The show continues to this day, but the tractor pulling disappeared many years ago.
Take her to the Minnesota state fair. I go every year all 12 days.
:) I live in Salem County, NJ! I'm glad other people are seeing how rural NJ can be.
I didn't realize that American Prison Cells have grass floors.
The map is hilarious!!! And insanely accurate! LOL😂
American fairs are bonkers and I'm here for it 😅
Many experiences at fairs in Minnesota, including very prominently sheep, but never mutton bustin'. Lived for a while in the "lawyers driving hybrids" part of NJ. My most recent fair experience was a disappointing one at the Alaska State Fair.
20:39 They can use those same tractors to plow. Just gotta hook up a different trailer
Those were some really friendly bulls, calmed down in a second once they were rid of the rider.
The way kids are taught not to respect animals but treat them like toys from such early age😭
Should have brought her line dancing! found out there’s a wonderful spot for it in Rhode Island and I’ve been hooked 😂😂😂
In the Midwest it's polka
In the UK, my dad organized for the police to come to our home, when I was about 6 or 7. They gave him a brandy, then breathalysed him with the old chemical breathalyser. Then they drove us to the police station in the back of a patrol car (a Rover P5 3500, I think). Then we were shown all around, put into the cells, then taken up through the corridor to the county court, which was in the same building. Then we got to see the police dogs and look at the vehicles.
The police used to visit the local fairs all the time, you could chat with them and sit in the cars, the same for the Fire Brigade.
At the County Shows, there would be the prize animals and all the argricultural equipment on display.
4-H stands for Horn, Head, Heart, and Hoof.
Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve been recommended an Evan edinger video! Hi everyone! I’m loving the video! Bet y’all will too!
I guess this means Evan isn't sweet, but is savory.
I love small fairs. It's a great time.
i love this style of video!! i had no idea south jersey was so country, seems like something you would see in the deep south lol
I am a Brit who works at UCLA. My boss is Asian and loves watching the pig cam live stream at Orange County Fair. I never understood the fascination and this video really confirmed I don't understand county fairs
It's just having fun. Not all of them have rodeos either. Some may have livestock shows and most have small amusement rides. There's nothing really to it besides that.
@@amicableenmity9820 I think (and Sophie can correct me if I'm wrong) they understand that it's "having fun", but they were saying they don't understand why people consider these things fun. At least... I'm also confused on that point 😂 "Let's put kids on the back of an animal that will throw them off -- that's fun, right?" Or "let's get a big diesel-powered engine and use it to... pull stuff... yay?" I dunno, I guess you really either have to be Southern and/or grow up with these things to get what's so fun about it. (I would, however, enjoy the food.)
@@IceMetalPunk What you are seeing is a reflection of real rural life. I'll never forget my oldest brother (RIP) get on the back of the neighbor's hog and ride it around the hog lot until he was dumped into the muck. Mister McKinnon wasn't happy.
@@IceMetalPunk yes that was what I meant, I don't see the appeal. But so long as the animals aren't being hurt, then if that's your thing, great, enjoy your day out
This makes me miss my county fair. I was in 4h and FFA all through school and the county fair was the biggest event of the year in our town. We litterally plan my family reunions for the weekend of the fair. Though we dont have some of the events that apparently this fair does, they all seemed pretty on par with what i think of when it comes to fair activities.
I haven't gone to our county fair in a few years
Surely there has to be a UK equivalent of this going on somewhere in the West Country. A cider-fuelled, traction engine rally somewhere in Devon. Also pig-scrambling is one thing, Gloucestershire folks scramble for cheese. I don't think the Brits have a moral high ground here. Nor do we Aussies tbh.
Why should their be high or low ground
Evan, just casually bring up to her (probably now by phone, since this is probably ancient history) that in the Alaska State Fair, because of the 24-hour daylight in the summer, pumpkins can weigh 500#, with other vegetables also growing to ridiculous sizes. I'm curious as to what the pageantry was about. Can you fill us in?
This is soo different than what she'd have seen in Essex and Bergen counties. Not to infer that I'm from NJ. I live NW of Chicago in IL.
Again! Another delightful video! I grew up in tx and always assumed fairs existed in every state but it feels weird to see it in N.Jersey
The insane levels of air pollution for the tractor pull 😂😂😂
This was brilliant. Forgot I was watching You Tube
Oh H€LL yes!! I love these kinds of videos!!! I like learning other peoples perspectives and perceptions of things they did not grow up with in their homelands!!!🐑🐐🐖🐄🎠🎡🎢🎟️ Not that she didn’t grow up with amusement, parks, and festivals and things; but there are some uniquely American aspects to a county fair!
Hold on hold on. The Thor's hammer with the runes, that's just regular old Renaissance Faire nerds, right? And there's no clash between these neopagans and the default agricultural people?
I'm not suggesting that there's any other new movements that claim the Thor's hammer.
My friend lives in Utah and their county fairs have amazing butter sculptures!
You can find County Shows and local country fairs in every county here in UK. There isn't any mutton bustin or piglet chasing, at least none i've seen, but plenrt of animals, produce and farm machinery on display. I've even seen tractor drag racing at one. Plenty to see here in East Sussex every summer.
Darn, sad I never knew about this while I lived in the states! I find these very interesting!
I'm with Heather that fried pickles are better than funnel cakes, but both are great. And there are totally tractor pulls in the UK!
Heather is a keeper. Also, a few thoughts about the fair. It's really a showcase of farming culture. The same thing happens in the UK - varying a bit, think the Highland show. The fair on the east coast is a bit different than in the mid-west which is a bit different than in the west. But all in all they, along with events like the Highland show all include showing off your animals, farming equipment, skills (bull riding, quilting, canning, crops grown,) and "fair food." It's a chance to get together and socialize, for many in the farming community it's the highlight of their year.
Fried pickles... *Homer drool* There is a great pub on the Isle of Wight that does them, they are Frickles on the menu!
A classic Glasgow delicacy
@@Randomaited Why do I feel like "fried " is a classic Glasgow delicacy? 😂
America has rodeo, the UK has cheese rolling. I feel like we both have uniquely weird and risky endeavours!
We love funnel cake, but the portion that you were served seemed rather small. I've never tried deep fried pickles so that is now on my bucket list.
In addition to county shows in Britain, many of the events also take place at Steam Rallies, Car Shows and Flower Shows.
Heather's humour and sarcasm is fantastic🥰
WHAT? You couldn't find good CORNDOGS there? What on earth is wrong with those people? Oh...New Jersey. Seriously, though, I had no idea there were rodeos and a bible belt in NJ. I loved Heather's side-eye whenever an especially strange American thing would happen. By the way, that last little boy on the sheep who rocketed out of the chute - what a champion, even if he did fall off!🤠
I went to a PA State Fair in the 80's. The most popular event was the ladies sweet-potato wrestling tournament :D
Others have mentioned County Shows, but also in the Peak District/Staffs Moorlands we have "Welldressings" and my local one is like a mini County Show, just with the added dressing and blessing of the well, crowning of the welldressing queen, maypole dancing... Definitely more quirky and unique!
As a Canadian, I feel like the in-between of these two. We don't have county fair equivalents, but I could get a funnel cake or sweet lemonade if I wanted.
Several events a bit heavy on the animal cruelty, which I'm surprised you didn't mention. I know it's just part of the culture, so the locals probably don't notice or give it a second thought, so not judging too hard, but it did stand out for me. We do have county shows here which are quite similar, apart from that aspect. The animals are mainly just "shown" and judged, rather than being ridden or subjected to trauma from kids.
It's controversial for sure. Those who train the event animals and run the events claim the animals are not abused, not hurt, and in fact are pampered and enjoy performing. As someone with no experience on either side of it, and no stake in it, I can't say what's true, though I think it's kind of dumb anyway, personally. But it is a bit weird that we as humans from any one of most of the cultures on Earth are like, "forcing a horse to let us on its back and nail metal to its toenails and carry a bunch of heavy stuff? Sure, no problem! Getting on a bull's back for a few minutes for a show and letting it get rid of us? Nah, that's cruel!"
Just what I thought too. Like for example even if the bulls are treated well, having someone put on their back and into a ring surrounded by loud people is stressful, to put it mildly.
That's true, tbh think is a bit shocking, that young chidren encouraged and taught it's ok to hurt animals.
@@IceMetalPunk with respect, as someone who has worked with horses for a bit when i was growing up if they dont want you (or something else) on their back they _will_ throw you (or it) off, like you see the bulls trying to do here.
Obviously if you are using spurs or harsh bits or the like its different, but thats not generally what is used. Horseshoes are also another thing which are important to note, as while yes it is nailing metal into their toenail, its vastly different from the image that creates in your head. Obviously, horse hooves are much, much thicker than human toenails, and so attaching a horseshoe correctly means there shouldnt be close to any contact between actual foot and metal. Meanwhile, the horseshoe protects against small rocks and such which can damage and crack the hoof, resulting in genuine problems, and reduces the wear and tear experienced, overall making it more comfortable for the horse. Like an actual shoe.
The difference between riding horses and here is that these animals very clearly dont want these people on their back, yet are having them forced on anyway. And while i could buy that the bulls are trained with sufficient evidence (though i doubt it), the sheep the kids rode certainly arent.
@@eveisunavailable+1
out here in Cali my friends did mutton busting back in the 80's, it's a real thing