I have already been through all five stages of grief on the State Fair’s demise, and now I am telling myself that it’s only a matter of time before someone resurrects it with new ownership and all of the same fabulous attractions. In fact, they might even get it up and running in time for this year. So I suppose maybe I have come full circle back to denial. I don’t know. I do know that I couldn’t bring myself to go to the Powhatan County Fair this past weekend, because usually when I go to small fairs, it is as a lead-in to the State Fair. You start with Powhatan in the spring, because that’s really small, and then in a couple of months there’s Chesterfield, which is bigger, and then BAM! It’s September, and the State Fair is here! It’s like a beautiful, natural arc. I wanted to go to Powhatan, I really did. I thought about it all weekend. But I just couldn’t psych myself up for it, knowing that there might not be an arc in my future. I went to the Lebanese Food Festival instead, because there is always more Lebanese food in my future. That much is guaranteed.

We are still a couple of hours away from auction time. If you guys would light a candle, or say a little prayer, or send good vibes or whatever you do, I would be greatly indebted. Pray that there are people out there with a lot of money who believe in the State Fair of Virginia and want to make sure it keeps happening. Hope that they show up today and bid strong. Pray for funnel cakes come September. Visualize the midway. We can do it if we pull together. Come on, Virginia. A lot of sheep are counting on you, and one of them has been dyed purple with Kool-Aid. Don’t let him down.