Too Damn HOT!!!
Saturday, June 21.
It is so hot, the trees are looking for dogs!!
Last night, a small group from the Oakland Magic Circle went to the Alameda County Fair The temprature during the day was over 100 degrees . I don't know how the grounds acts do it. I was once a strolling grounds act and if it got into the triple digits, could not function properly. So, we got there around 6:00 pm and it was still a bit too warm for me, but we had a mission to see an old time Riverboat gambling demonstration by one of the wandering performers at the fair.
Now, this demonstration was not your typical poker and dice demonstration. These were games played in the turn of the century by mostly illiterate farmers and ranch hands. Still played with cards, the bets were fairly simple. With a shuffled deck of cards the bets were made and the marks lost their hard earned cash. If you have ever heard the term "Cash on the barrel head" this was the point in time and place where that phrase came from. These games of chance were played on the decks of ships and the table was the barrel head. Ernie demonstrated about 6-7 games for us and then handed out a tiny pitch book that had instructions for all these games. This was a fun and educational little lecture demonstration. Howard Thurston
After this demonstration, we had a bit of fair food dinner and our group opted for fish and chips. There is so much food to choose from at the Alameda County fair. Since we were there opening day, the food was fresh and the vendors had not entirely been subject to the long lines of eager fair goers.
We strolled into one of the commercial exhibiters buildings next. In there was being pitched all sorts of household goods. To the right of the entrance was a guy pitching stainless steel cookware and to the left there women pitching a mink oil based hand cleaner and softener kit. You could get just about anything you never wanted in this hall. in addition, there was someone selling 300 count Egyption cotton bed sheets for 20.00 a set. Some guy with a manual operated food processor was passing out samples an pitching the wonders of his gadget "as seen on tv". elsewhere there was a guy selling garden hose hookups and a booth of women selling toe rings and ear clamps.
We did not stay long in this area as we wanted a good seat for the opening night fireworks display. I really like a nice show. This one is only ok as there is no sound track to it. but, it is comfortable to watch from the patio of the horse racing clubhouse. The fireworks went on at about 9:15 pm and lasted about 20 minutes. It was a bright and loud show with a lot of oohs and aahs from the audience at large.
The Alameda County Fair celebrates 150 years of horse racing.
There are other great grounds acts going on through out the day which start at opening and run till about 5/6 pm. Returning to the fair is the Magic of Frank Thurston. It is my understanding that Frank Thurston is the grand nephew of Howard Thurston. In addition, there are clowns riding old fashion "penny-farthing" bicycles, Dr. Goodjohns Traveling Medicine show, Balloonacy (who is Dennis Forel) The premier strolling guy who twists animals out of balloons and has great story telling that goes along with each one, And we must not forget Tom Jorgenson and his "Chalk Talk" show in the kids area.
Well, I think I have rambled on way too long.
If you read this and want to visit the fair before it ends, I wouldn't mind going again. And, I would love to go with someone who wants to ride the rides at night with me.
Stay cool, y'all!
It is so hot, the trees are looking for dogs!!
Last night, a small group from the Oakland Magic Circle went to the Alameda County Fair The temprature during the day was over 100 degrees . I don't know how the grounds acts do it. I was once a strolling grounds act and if it got into the triple digits, could not function properly. So, we got there around 6:00 pm and it was still a bit too warm for me, but we had a mission to see an old time Riverboat gambling demonstration by one of the wandering performers at the fair.
Now, this demonstration was not your typical poker and dice demonstration. These were games played in the turn of the century by mostly illiterate farmers and ranch hands. Still played with cards, the bets were fairly simple. With a shuffled deck of cards the bets were made and the marks lost their hard earned cash. If you have ever heard the term "Cash on the barrel head" this was the point in time and place where that phrase came from. These games of chance were played on the decks of ships and the table was the barrel head. Ernie demonstrated about 6-7 games for us and then handed out a tiny pitch book that had instructions for all these games. This was a fun and educational little lecture demonstration. Howard Thurston
After this demonstration, we had a bit of fair food dinner and our group opted for fish and chips. There is so much food to choose from at the Alameda County fair. Since we were there opening day, the food was fresh and the vendors had not entirely been subject to the long lines of eager fair goers.
We strolled into one of the commercial exhibiters buildings next. In there was being pitched all sorts of household goods. To the right of the entrance was a guy pitching stainless steel cookware and to the left there women pitching a mink oil based hand cleaner and softener kit. You could get just about anything you never wanted in this hall. in addition, there was someone selling 300 count Egyption cotton bed sheets for 20.00 a set. Some guy with a manual operated food processor was passing out samples an pitching the wonders of his gadget "as seen on tv". elsewhere there was a guy selling garden hose hookups and a booth of women selling toe rings and ear clamps.
We did not stay long in this area as we wanted a good seat for the opening night fireworks display. I really like a nice show. This one is only ok as there is no sound track to it. but, it is comfortable to watch from the patio of the horse racing clubhouse. The fireworks went on at about 9:15 pm and lasted about 20 minutes. It was a bright and loud show with a lot of oohs and aahs from the audience at large.
The Alameda County Fair celebrates 150 years of horse racing.
There are other great grounds acts going on through out the day which start at opening and run till about 5/6 pm. Returning to the fair is the Magic of Frank Thurston. It is my understanding that Frank Thurston is the grand nephew of Howard Thurston. In addition, there are clowns riding old fashion "penny-farthing" bicycles, Dr. Goodjohns Traveling Medicine show, Balloonacy (who is Dennis Forel) The premier strolling guy who twists animals out of balloons and has great story telling that goes along with each one, And we must not forget Tom Jorgenson and his "Chalk Talk" show in the kids area.
Well, I think I have rambled on way too long.
If you read this and want to visit the fair before it ends, I wouldn't mind going again. And, I would love to go with someone who wants to ride the rides at night with me.
Stay cool, y'all!