A Day Off From School Is Only Fair in Charles

Officially, public school students in Charles County were off Friday for a teacher in-service day, but it could have been called Fair Day.

A horde of students began streaming to the 85th annual county fair in La Plata almost as soon as the gates opened, and the deluge did not let up all day. The second day of the fair, christened Kids' Day, featured discounted rides and other activities for the 18-and-younger set and their parents.

Near one gate, children waited to have their faces painted by members of the McDonough High School drama club. Down the way, a troupe of clowns drew laughs with their ice-fishing act. Nearby, a Navy diver played tick-tack-toe against all comers from inside a tank of water. (The board was drawn on the side of the tank, and children played against the diver from outside.)

Samantha Perce, 11, text-messaged her mother while walking to the Ferris wheel with a friend. Wearing a neon pink shirt studded with rhinestones, Samantha rolled her eyes at the idea of her mother tracking her every move but said this was the first year she had been allowed to wander the fairgrounds without adult supervision.

"Well, I just got here, so I'm just getting started, but I'm going to ride lots of rides and try to win a goldfish," she said. "Oh, and eat funnel cake."

The fair, which ends today, was the first this season in Southern Maryland. The St. Mary's County Fair is set for Thursday through Sunday in Leonardtown, and Calvert County's will be Sept. 24-28 in Prince Frederick. Events at the Charles fair Friday featured a mix of new and old aspects of county life. A team from the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center at Indian Head operated lifelike robots, which snatched pieces of paper out of children's hands. Nearby, a moon bounce and an informational table celebrated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, the minor league baseball team that made its debut this year at Regency Furniture Stadium in St. Charles.

The robots were a hit with some of the youngest fairgoers, including Demitrius Johnston, 5, who was initially nervous about a robot that stood more than a foot taller than he did. Within a few moments, though, he had warmed to it.

"Here, take this!" Demetrius exclaimed, holding out an action figure for the robot to grab. "Come back!"

But new technology and fledgling baseball teams couldn't overshadow the old-fashioned elements: rides, produce judging and animal shows. A clown told a crowd he was glad to be back in "Chuck County," a name popular among some longtime residents.

Ten-year-old Matt Simon rejected the clown show, saying that "it's for babies," but he got excited about the pony rides and cow-milking demonstrations. He said that this year marked his eighth at the fair and that it hasn't changed much during his lifetime.

"I like to come and do the same things every year," he said. "It's tradition!"