Do you attend The Oklahoma State Fair?

[Jeepnokc]

The one thing that I found interesting was a guy who's company was converting railroad cars, not any specialty types just the kind you could store all kinds of dry good in, and they had made a decent living space for on or two people. Minimalist living but was pretty cool. Queen sized bed in one end, bathroom in the middle, Kitchenette just beyond that and then some living space in the other half. On tv in the bedroom and a bigger one in the living room. The outside was painted but you could rap on it and feel that solid steel. The inside had been sprayed with insulation and painted to look like adobe. Bolt and srap that thing down and I think it could survive a pretty good sized twister. Def no hail damage worries.

Went through it tonight and thought would be a cool little mountain or river cabin if you could get it in to where you needed it.

[Plutonic Panda]

Well, 42 did, and got a free ride out.

42 arrests made at Oklahoma State Fair | Oklahoma City - OKC - KOCO.com

[Brett]

I won't be attending anytime in the future due to the shooting last night.

[SouthSide]

Yes, went with friends Saturday (daytime hours) but insisted on leaving before the evening rowdiness.

[MagzOK]

We haven't been to the Ok State Fair in about 7 or 8 years and have not interest in going. It's expensive yet boring. That being said, we do get our fair fixes in at the State Fair of Texas each OU/Texas weekend. It's far superior anyway.

[PhiAlpha]

I won't be attending anytime in the future due to the shooting last night.

I mean it already happened, you think now that it’s happened once that it’s more likely to happen again? Security was already reasonably good with metal detectors at every entrance, I would imagine it will be even tighter now.

[PhiAlpha]

We haven't been to the Ok State Fair in about 7 or 8 years and have not interest in going. It's expensive yet boring. That being said, we do get our fair fixes in at the State Fair of Texas each OU/Texas weekend. It's far superior anyway.

Yeah the Texas fair is way better. I still hit up OKC and Tulsa’s every few years but usually get my fill of fair activities before/after the RRS.

[Pete]

Wonder how this gun got in?

Huge black eye for the fair.

[mugofbeer]

I won't be attending anytime in the future due to the shooting last night.

Then you just let the street sh*t win. You do realize shootings have happened virtually everywhere at some time or another.

[mugofbeer]

Yeah the Texas fair is way better. I still hit up OKC and Tulsa’s every few years but usually get my fill of fair activities before/after the RRS.

The Texas State Fair is in a class of it's own.

[Jeepnokc]

From the OK State fair Facebook page.......

"Starting at 5 p.m. daily, all minors, age 17 and under, must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone (21+) when entering the Fair. Parents, guardians, or chaperones may accompany no more than six minors 17 years of age and under."

"The Oklahoma State Fair will be open at 10a on Sunday, September 24. Your gate admission and any carnival ride armbands from Saturday, September 23 will be good for admission and carnival rides on Sunday. You can scan your gate ticket directly at any gate and replace your carnival ride armband at any carnival ticket plaza. The incident that occurred on Saturday, September 23 has been identified by the Oklahoma City Police Department as an isolated incident."

[mugofbeer]

From the OK State fair Facebook page.......

The incident that occurred on Saturday, September 23 has been identified by the Oklahoma City Police Department as an isolated incident."

And the police have arrested a suspect.

[Dob Hooligan]

Wonder how this gun got in?

Huge black eye for the fair.

I think it is all but impossible in a free society and a constitutional carry state to intercept every 4-5 inch square handgun. I'm amazed they do as well as they do, considering how many people go on the weekends and how spread out the perimeter is.

I love the Fair and all the staff does. But, I don't stay there after dark. Especially Friday or Saturday. I'm too old for that.

[Shortsyeararound]

Went Friday morning for the first time in 4 years. It was nice, not packed at all, and clean. Had I brought a backpack of beer with me then it would have been even better as the temps increased.

[BoulderSooner]

I think it is all but impossible in a free society and a constitutional carry state to intercept every 4-5 inch square handgun. I'm amazed they do as well as they do, considering how many people go on the weekends and how spread out the perimeter is.

I love the Fair and all the staff does. But, I don't stay there after dark. Especially Friday or Saturday. I'm too old for that.

i disagree with this ... clearly the gun did not come in from through a medal detector ..

this was people sneaking in with out paying .. (either jumping a wall of a fence

[jn1780]

i disagree with this ... clearly the gun did not come in from through a medal detector ..

this was people sneaking in with out paying .. (either jumping a wall of a fence

Well obviously someone is going to try to sneak past security if they have intent, thus the 'perimeter is too big" comment Dob made. I don't even think you would have to go through the effort of jumping a fence. All the gates around the livestock area seem less secure. The workers at those checkpoints are not exactly TSA or anything.

[Pete]

Well obviously someone is going to try to sneak past security if they have intent, thus the 'perimeter is too big" comment Dob made. I don't even think you would have to go through the effort of jumping a fence. All the gates around the livestock area seem less secure. The workers at those checkpoints are not exactly TSA or anything.

When I went last week, they waved me and a few others down a lane without a metal detector.

[Jeepnokc]

We went yesterday and was surprised a the lack of security. I would have thought there would have been stepped up presence. I had numerous friends there saturday night (vendors and visitors) and almost all said the response after the shooting was fast and efficient. One vendor who watched it as their booth was right there said it was a large group of young people all wearing either blue or red so they seemed to think this was all gang related.

[aDark]

To get back to the original question, no I do not go to the OKC state fair. Having been to fairs in several major cities, the OK state fair is just depressing.

As a child, the fair meant fun rides and foods you couldn't get anywhere else. As an adult, every ride looks like a liability and the food looks (mostly) disgusting.

Add to the experience the general fair population and I'd rather just skip the mess entirely.

I realize I'm in the minority on this opinion. My wife still likes to go. In recent years, she has come to the conclusion that is not safe enough for her to walk around with the kids. Other than Disney on Ice, they don't go anymore either.

[Bellaboo]

Have not in 35 years

[Pete]

As a child, the fair meant fun rides and foods you couldn't get anywhere else. As an adult, every ride looks like a liability and the food looks (mostly) disgusting.

Add to the experience the general fair population and I'd rather just skip the mess entirely.

It's hard to accept but state fairs are mainly a relic of the past in general, not just the one here.


I will say the Wisconsin State Fair in Milwaukee is a very different experience. The fairgrounds are more compact but substantially nicer, they have more live music and there is the Milwaukee Mile Speedway, which they use for big-name bands; I see this year they had REO Speedwagon, Ludacris and other acts every night. Also, a good number of the food vendors are local and thus there is a lot of tradition about going to get a cream puff (pretty great) and some other things that are unique to the fair (do we have anything equivalent?). Many of the food places have permanent facilities with covered seating, not just trailers on asphalt.

However, what I realized the last time I went 3 years ago is that this event is 75% a big drink fest. They have tons of beer gardens and even during the day, you see lots of couples pushing strollers with both holding beers. Obviously, a big beer culture in Milwaukee but it has to be a rowdy scene once the sun goes down.

But at least in Wisconsin, they've found a way to stay relevant in a very fast-changing world. OKC sold out to horse shows a long time ago and the fair itself is a complete afterthought and it shows.

[HangryHippo]

Exactly why they should work to create something similar to the Kentucky Horse Park for shows and equitation in general. Especially with the river and Stockyards nearby.

[TheTravellers]

To get back to the original question, no I do not go to the OKC state fair. Having been to fairs in several major cities, the OK state fair is just depressing.

As a child, the fair meant fun rides and foods you couldn't get anywhere else. As an adult, every ride looks like a liability and the food looks (mostly) disgusting.

Add to the experience the general fair population and I'd rather just skip the mess entirely.

I realize I'm in the minority on this opinion. My wife still likes to go. In recent years, she has come to the conclusion that is not safe enough for her to walk around with the kids. Other than Disney on Ice, they don't go anymore either.

Except we don't have kids. We went once recently, in 2009 when we moved back here, but literally only to see The Black Crowes (with one of the Dickinson brothers guesting on guitar).

[Bill Robertson]

Except we don't have kids. We went once recently, in 2009 when we moved back here, but literally only to see The Black Crowes (with one of the Dickinson brothers guesting on guitar).

As a kid in the 60s my parents, at least one sister and BIL, often both, and I went at least once. Dad and I would go at least one other night for races. Then from the late 70s to the track closing in 2009 I went almost every night. Over those years I worked for the track, helped out with a couple cars and drove a little bit. Since then until I had bad hip problems starting in 2017 my wife and I went usually one afternoon to eat, walk through the buildings and catch a free concert. We've seen America, Air Supply, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Dennis DeYoung and some other old bands. We haven't been since 2017 because it's just not fun for me to be uncomfortable then and really pay for it the next day.

[Pete]

When I was growing up, schools closed for a day and students could attend free.

That was really fun because there were tons of kids your own age there.