It's all happening at the County Fair

This week's show, if you were able to get it, was the Carnival episode from 1981.

Let's see what is going on over at the midway....

"Sitting down on the job again? That will be TWO custard pies to the face!"

And the competitors take the customary bow of respect before tonight's match.....

  
"Ouch! That really hurts Gail!"

"And now let's groove on down the Soul Train Line to see what's jivin...."

It's all happening at the County Fair

Scenes from the County Fair

Like the song suggests, "It's fun going to the county fair!"

So let's go there and check out the fun!

Guy & Ralna eating some cotton candy, little did they know it's made from real cotton....

Bobby Burgess pretends that his watermelon is a bowling ball.....

The Maestro tries out his joy buzzer on George Cates....

.....and Ken Delo is getting ready for his closeup.

Scenes from the County Fair

County Fair '75

Do you have the need for the sounds of the Midway?

Have a craving for Cotton Candy or Funnel Cake?

Does playing the Ring Toss or going to the Fun House give you coo-coo kicks?

Or do the sights of smells of the 4-H club's cake contest tickle your fancy?

If you say yes to some or all of these, then you love going to the county fair and this week's Welk episode!

Highlights include the ladies playing extreme Ring Around the Rosie

Bobby Burgess jumping for joy after pulling a fast one on the carnies

And Myron Floren, finding out he's out of money, using another way to get himself a frankfurter sandwich

And it's Mary Lou Metzger's turn this week to host

COUNTY FAIR - April 12, 1975

1. COTTON CANDY AND A TOY BALLOON - Guy, Ralna, Tanya, Clay, Gail, Anacani, Bobby, Cissy, Joe, Mary Lou, Ava, Tom, Sandi, Arthur, Ken, Larry (Hooper), Jimmy (Roberts) & Norma
2. MELODY OF SONGS FROM CAROUSEL - orchestra conducted by George Cates
3. HAVE I STAYED TOO LONG AT THE FAIR - Norma Zimmer
4. SUGARTIME - Anacani and Tanya Falan
5. IT'S FUN GOING TO THE COUNTY FAIR - sung and danced by Bobby Burgess & Cissy King

 
6. RIDE EM' COWBOY - Clay Hart with Gail Farrell and Sandi Griffiths
7. ROUND AND ROUND - Tanya, Gail, Sandi, Norma, Anacani, Cissy and Mary Lou
8. THE MERRY GO ROUND BROKE DOWN - Bob Ralston at the Thomas organ
9. LETS ALL GO DOWN TO THE RIVER - Guy Hovis & Ralna English
10. MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS - tap danced by Arthur Duncan

11. COME TO THE FAIR - Joe Feeney with Myron Floren at the accordion
12. THE CANDYMAN - orchestra
13. GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW - Ava Barber
14. JOHN HENRY - Dick Dale
15. DANCE OF THE COMEDIANS - Myron Floren and his accordion

16. JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE - Tom Netherton backed vocally by Guy, Ralna, Sandi, Larry, Joe, Gail, Bobby & Cissy
17. PUT ON A HAPPY FACE - Ken Delo
18. PAPA WON'T YOU DANCE WITH ME - sung and danced by Mary Lou Metzger & Jack Imel
19. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A HOMETOWN BAND - Guy, Ralna, Tanya, Clay, Gail, Anacani, Bobby, Cissy, Joe, Mary Lou, Ava, Tom, Sandi, Arthur, Ken, Larry, Jimmy, Norma, Dick with trumpet section of Johnny Zell, Charlie Parlato, Mickey McMahan, Laroon Holt, trombone section of Barney Liddell, Bob Havens, Don Staples, Kenny Trimble, reeds section of Russ Klein, Bob Davis, Dave Edwards, Henry Cuesta and tuba by Richard Maloof

This was the last episode of the 1974-75 season and also the finale for Clay Hart as a series regular. Around this time, he married former fellow Music Maker Sally Flynn and both would continue professionally as a husband & wife singing act performing at venues such as....you guessed it....county and state fairs.

It was a great episode, and considering the recent cold weather in my neck of the woods, I could use some of that late summer warmth associated with the county fair.

Until next time, keep a song in your heart and keep on dancing out on the Midway!

County Fair '75

Sights from the Midway

Out doing some people watching from the "Carnival" episode in 1981

 

Anacani and Elaine Balden

Ron Anderson and Gail Farrell

 

The Aldridge Sisters and Roger Otwell

 

Norma Zimmer, Jimmy Roberts, Michael Redman and Bobby Burgess

Sorry guys, I still think Cedar Point's midway is way much better

Sights from the Midway

We're off to the Midway!

I'll be spending today at Cedar Point....going on all the coasters.

 

  

  

And what a coincidence....this week's episode is "Carnival"

Talk about perfect timing! 

We're off to the Midway!

A Carinval Haiku

It's summer, the sun is shining....let's go to the fair!

Head for the midway

There's plenty of rides and games

Just send in the clowns

A Carinval Haiku

Lets Go To The Fair!

From 1967, this week's show is a trip to the carnival, here are some highlights....

Aladdin as the sword swallower....he performs his own tracheometry!

And here's the lovely Lennon Sisters singing "Something Stupid".....

Natalie Nevins is having a good time at the fair, you would smile too if you have cotton candy to eat!

And here's Jo Ann Castle tickling the ivories....and no this piano, from all appearances, is not filled with helium!

Hope you guys had fun at the fair....summer is now swinging into high

Lets Go To The Fair!

Meet some swingin' ladies!

From the 1971 "County Fair" show, we have some swingin' ladies on the merry-go-round for the fellas to meet!

Makes me wish that Cedar Point attracted such gorgeous girls!

Meet some swingin' ladies!

Picture of the day (1-24-07)

Ralna English and Guy Hovis singing about memories of the "Tom Green County Fair" from the 1971 episode "County Fair".

Picture of the day (1-24-07)

Picture of the day (7-20-06)

We're still in the middle of the summer, so let's go to the carnival with the Aldridge sisters!

Here they meet some interesting people, and they are ready for a good time!

Picture of the day (7-20-06)

County Fair 1967

You know it's summer when the County Fair comes to town, and that is the theme for this week's Lawrence Welk episode, a repeat with wraps hosted by costume guru Rose Weiss. Here's the Lennon Sisters above wearing a sample of Rose's work in the number. "Something Stupid".
This show first aired in September 1967, and it features the gang singing "Cotton Candy and a Toy Balloon", Lynn Anderson above with Buddy and Neil with her rendition of "These Boots Were Made For Walking" which is three hundred times BETTER than the Jessica Simpson version, and Jimmy Roberts with something for the ladies with "Martha".

This is also one of Cissy King's first episodes dancing with Bobby Burgess and they dance to a rousing "Pennsylvania Polka" and speaking of accordian magic...there's Myron Floren playing the Dance of the Comedians and of course Larry Hooper does a hilarious Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas.
There's a cute number by Peggy Lennon featuring Charlie Parlato singing about Frankfurter Sandwiches (a bit risque!) and all sorts of sixties fun at the midway...like Bob Ralston here trying out to be the next World's Strongest Man?

I think Bob better stick with the keyboards, like he does with a brilliant piece titled "The Merry Go-Round Broke Down".

Next week is another repeat...Salute To Famous Musical Families hosted by Anacani.

County Fair 1967