It was hard to step away from 'summer's biggest party'

My congratulations to the Waseca County Fair committee for a delightful five days filled with entertainment, education, networking, and fun–many of them all at once.

 

I spent more time at the fair in 2026 than I had in recent years; somehow it seemed I just couldn’t leave. Each time I thought of going, I came across yet another thing I wanted to experience or try.

 

Looking over the schedule way back in June, I had quickly decided I wanted to write a news article about So-Hot Glass Blowers, who were set up on “Oak Island,” and gave demonstrations each day from 12:30 to 6:30. You could tell those two artisans love what they do, and really enjoyed explaining the 4,000 year old craft of glass blowing to everyone who would listen.

 

I also enjoyed the free ag related mini golf game, which was open to all folks interested in some “tee time.” The area offered occasional challenges for young golfers, asking them to get their golf balls to the cups using pool noodles, spatulas, and even the wrong end of the golf club held like a pool cue.

 

The Tractor Trivia game was also a delight, asking volunteer contestants about various elements of agriculture, while also having a lot of fun and giving away a lot of small prizes. It was great fun to see the green lawn tractor pulling the “trivia trailer” to other locations on the fairgrounds as well. Proprietors Arlene and Carlos Correa Jr. were friendly and patient. Their backdrop painting of a hay mow added a lot of character to their contests.

 

Naturally, the historical society’s demonstrations, the FFA Barnyard, and walks through the 4-H barns and the commercial displays are an absolute must at the fair.

 

My thanks to the safety officers who kept their eyes on things; by chance I got to see their interventions twice–once to help the ambulance get around stopped traffic to enter the grounds and be present at the grandstand show, and once when a wandering fair patron got a bit unruly.

 

While “summer’s best party” may sound like a boast to people who weren’t there, I think the Waseca County Fair earned its self-proclaimed title.

 

I also have to share my excitement about finally laying my eyes on a Monarch chrysalis this summer. I make it a habit to watch for them, usually checking milkweed plants for any signs that caterpillars have been munching on their leaves.

 

This year the first one I laid eyes on was not on a plant, but had apparently eaten its fill on one, then wandered a couple feet away to a wooden support pole to fasten on and begin the process of metamorphosis. Monarch butterflies are beautiful, so I guess it’s appropriate that the monarch chrysalis looks like a small luxury structure. It has a smooth, nearly shiny finish highlighted by luminescent gold-colored accents.

 

Having created its “housing,” the caterpillar inside is making the kind of change we humans have used as inspiration for millenia–from a plump, wormlike thing to an elegant creature with bright colors, symmetry, and the freedom of the air. The internet tells me the change will take somewhere between 9 and 14 days; the warmer the weather, the more quickly the process tends to go. Thinking of the hot days at the fair, I can’t help joking that the caterpillars in a chrysalis this month will set records for their emergence.