Last year my husband and I took our girls to the State Fair (I hadn't been there in 15 years and it was my girls first time). What a disappointing experience. It certainly has changed. International Bazzar was gone - replaced by tarot card readers, and some Chinese crap vendors. The shish-kebab stand where for years I'd enjoy grilled lamb on a stick, has now been cheapened to pork or chicken meat. But the worst of it all was when the girls and I had to use the restroom. Do you any of you out there know where I'm going with this one....? If you've been to the Fair you know often there are lines for the bathroom, it's at least crowded. Two young ladies were forcing "bathroom service" on everyone - and then expecting a tip! Their "service" (which I nor anyone else needed or requested) consisted of pointing to which stall just opened up for use (I have eyes, I can see that), dispensing paper towels, and picking up litter if necessary. Also, some female products were offered right next to a tip jar. You mean I can't even go to the bathroom without someone expecting money from me?!! I was irrate and tactfully, yet firmly told the nearest information booth manned by Fair employees. I can't believe the Fair allows this - the young ladies were actually in the way of those using the restroom. If they need money, why don't they just go out and get a job like everyone else instead of forcing a service that no one requested or expected in the first place?? We will never attend the Fair again - it wasn't worth it. We'll stay local with our county fair, gladly.
I think a lot has changed to keep up with the times, Which i'm sure will always be the case. The fair is as popular as ever, i'm sure it will remain so with the youngins.
Is the International Bazaar where they had the cultural artifacts & such? I'm not sure if i'm thinking of the correct building, but if so i can only see that type of set up going over well with older folks (such as myself, i like that kind of thing, but not so much at a fair) & can see why they would do away with it.
The bathroom chics would bother me & the tip they would have gotten from me would not have been monetary. I was there the past couple years & never seen anything like that going on, i have to wonder if they were just some young ladies trying to make some money the easy way & not working for the fair at all... in which case, as you said, they need a real job.
If they need money, why don't they just go out and get a job like everyone else instead of forcing a service that no one requested or expected in the first place??
Actually my oldest daughter and grandson are at the fair today. They make it one full day each year and totally love it.
And actually I like the service the ladies give keeping the bathroom clean. With the thousands of women going in and out of that bathrooms at that fair it could get (and has in the past) very nasty in just a very short time. These ladies keep the bathroom in top order (at least what I have seen), and helps the lines moving so more can get in and out quicker. They pick up, make sure everyone has TP in the stalls, helps if needed and they have a plate there for tips but it's not required. If you don't feel like tipping, then simply don't. But it's nice to know with all the nasty germs out there nowadays that the seats are being sprayed, the nasty TP is being picked up, the toilets are being flushed or fixed if they run over, and litter is in the cans.
How many places do you go that you have to walk down and peek into every stall before you find one that is maybe acceptable to go in? I've found that at some of the nicest places to eat at, but yet you still tip at the end of the meal.
At least at a fair it's nice to now you can go in the bathroom and it has service. Give me a clean bathroom with a service smile any day before a port-a-potty that smells, or a bathroom you are afraid to walk in because of the filth.
Actually my oldest daughter and grandson are at the fair today. They make it one full day each year and totally love it.
And actually I like the service the ladies give keeping the bathroom clean. With the thousands of women going in and out of that bathrooms at that fair it could get (and has in the past) very nasty in just a very short time. These ladies keep the bathroom in top order (at least what I have seen), and helps the lines moving so more can get in and out quicker. They pick up, make sure everyone has TP in the stalls, helps if needed and they have a plate there for tips but it's not required. If you don't feel like tipping, then simply don't. But it's nice to know with all the nasty germs out there nowadays that the seats are being sprayed, the nasty TP is being picked up, the toilets are being flushed or fixed if they run over, and litter is in the cans.
How many places do you go that you have to walk down and peek into every stall before you find one that is maybe acceptable to go in? I've found that at some of the nicest places to eat at, but yet you still tip at the end of the meal.
At least at a fair it's nice to now you can go in the bathroom and it has service. Give me a clean bathroom with a service smile any day before a port-a-potty that smells, or a bathroom you are afraid to walk in because of the filth.
But that is just me.
How strange, that i have never witnessed these ladies who keep the bathrooms clean
I try to avoid the bathrooms there, but have been over by them many times.
I have seen this not just at fairs, but even at bars in the bathroom. Usually the ones I've seen are there with a tray full of hairspray, perfume, and feminine products. I don't want them to help me with paper towels and expect a tip. I think it's nice if they want to keep the bathroom clean.
At Summerfest grounds they have people cleaning the bathrooms all day long. None of them have a little station set up for selling you things or asking for tips. They are just hired by the festival to keep things clean, the same as workers walking throughout the grounds to clean up trash. This is more like it should be at state fair.
One of my complaints from the last state fair was every time we ordered something to eat there was no place to sit. Not many picnic tables that I could see. I don't want to stand around holding food with one hand and try to eat with the other.
At least at a fair it's nice to now you can go in the bathroom and it has service. Give me a clean bathroom with a service smile any day before a port-a-potty that smells, or a bathroom you are afraid to walk in because of the filth.
Yuck, I avoid port-a-potties as much as possible. I will even avoid some festivals or picnics if I know that I all that's offered. I will also not drink much for beverages to avoid having to use one. I did see one smart thing added to some port-a-potties and that was the hand sanitizer dispenser. You can also spray that on the TP to wipe down the seat first. Still grosses me out to have the men's urinal thing on the side of the potty. It's always dripping in pee and I'm worried that I'll accidently brush my arm on it. I remember port-a-potties didn't always have that hanging there.
One of my complaints from the last state fair was every time we ordered something to eat there was no place to sit. Not many picnic tables that I could see. I don't want to stand around holding food with one hand and try to eat with the other.
Most people you see are walking and eating. Even tho I can walk and chew gum..lol..I can't walk and eat very well. I need a table to put things down on and I agree, there is a huge shortage of tables, CLEAN tables.
I never really ate at the fair anyways, until I fell in love with their pork burgers. yum.
At Summerfest grounds they have people cleaning the bathrooms all day long. None of them have a little station set up for selling you things or asking for tips. They are just hired by the festival to keep things clean, the same as workers walking throughout the grounds to clean up trash. This is more like it should be at state fair.
I have seen people at the fair doing the same, but actually setting up a station & asking for tips?? never have i seen that.
Yuck, I avoid port-a-potties as much as possible. I will even avoid some festivals or picnics if I know that I all that's offered. I will also not drink much for beverages to avoid having to use one. I did see one smart thing added to some port-a-potties and that was the hand sanitizer dispenser. You can also spray that on the TP to wipe down the seat first. Still grosses me out to have the men's urinal thing on the side of the potty. It's always dripping in pee and I'm worried that I'll accidently brush my arm on it. I remember port-a-potties didn't always have that hanging there.
I wonder if men's aim is as bad at home?
Which is why i said i avoid the bathrooms at the fairs... I don't do port-a-potties ick ick!!!
I avoid them at concerts, fairs & anywhere else they may be!!
I skipped out on 4th of July with my bestfriend & her family because they went to a campsite to cook out & such, it was 30 minutes from the nearest real bathroom & they had a port-a-potty out on the site... ick, no thanks i rather be bored at home than deal with that.
I haven't been to the state fair since I was in grade school. Our local county fair hires people to be in the bathrooms and to keep them clean or at least they used to. I haven't been to the fair here since my son graduated from high school three years ago. We used to volunteer to do face painting in the domestic violence awareness tent every year. We had a lot of fun helping with that.
Which is why i said i avoid the bathrooms at the fairs... I don't do port-a-potties ick ick!!!
I avoid them at concerts, fairs & anywhere else they may be!!
LOL you must have a huge bladder, because I don't last long without needing a bathroom.
Then my husband wonders why I don't want much to drink at these places. At least at Summerfest I don't need to use a port-a-potty or wait in line. They have plenty of bathrooms.
LOL you must have a huge bladder, because I don't last long without needing a bathroom.
I can be at home and not even think about having to go to the bathroom most of the afternoon...but take me somewhere and tell me there is no bathroom and I have to go instantly. lol lol Guess it's all in the mind. lol
My daughter, and her son and some friends spent the whole day at the fair yesterday and had a blast. She makes a plan to go one full day each year. She buys her tickets when they first come out on the web for a discount, parks in the same place she knows about that is reasonable, and they walk the whole thing and checks out everything. They also have the cream puffs for breakfast each year too. I miss not getting one this year. Can't find a cream puff better anywhere else.
My daughter, and her son and some friends spent the whole day at the fair yesterday and had a blast. She makes a plan to go one full day each year. She buys her tickets when they first come out on the web for a discount, parks in the same place she knows about that is reasonable, and they walk the whole thing and checks out everything. They also have the cream puffs for breakfast each year too. I miss not getting one this year. Can't find a cream puff better anywhere else.
I'm not big on cream puffs. I know where you can cream puffs a lot bigger than the state fair around here. Go to the Pine Cone in Johnson Creek right by the outlet mall. They have huge bakery items. The eclairs are big enough for 2. The muffins are like little bundt cakes... mmm pumpkin ones! The rice krispy squares are like a brick they're so thick. They sell the bakery right in the gas station part and I think you can get the same stuff in the restaurant part.
I'm not big on cream puffs. I know where you can cream puffs a lot bigger than the state fair around here. Go to the Pine Cone in Johnson Creek right by the outlet mall. They have huge bakery items. The eclairs are big enough for 2. The muffins are like little bundt cakes... mmm pumpkin ones! The rice krispy squares are like a brick they're so thick. They sell the bakery right in the gas station part and I think you can get the same stuff in the restaurant part.
How interesting. Now I have yet another excuse to make sure we have extra time when driving past Johnson Creek outlet stores. lol
You can't really miss the Pine Cone since it's right at the intersection by the mall right off 94 and Hwy 26. Not much to Johnson Creek.
I don't know how the restaurant is since we never eat there. It's cheap to eat at. It's a truck stop, gas station and restaurant. I've gotten my bakery items at the gas station since they have quite a bit of food in there. Just like a big truck stop anywhere.
We go through that area every so often and will have to try the bakery items sometime. Great to know that we can get a good cream puff other than the fair once a year. Since I missed this year I thought I would have to wait yet another year. It's funny I really don't eat cream puffs but once a year, but when you miss it then it makes you want it even more. lol
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I remember port-a-potties didn't always have that hanging there. 
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