The smell of fried food tickles your nose upon entering the gates at the Clark County Fair. But you must wait because you’re encapsulated by the wondrous flashing colors, sounds of childish screams and heaps of metal twirling around. You feel the need to investigate.
The next thing you know, you’re soaring higher and faster than ever before. You feel like a superhero as the breeze smacks you in the face. At this point, you’ve worked up an appetite.
The taste of an ice cold lemonade washes down the remaining flavor of the corndog you just ate. You treat yourself to a caramel apple and possibly a colorful, fluffy concoction called cotton candy.
You ask yourself, “How could this day get any better?” Then you spot it. Dogs fly through the air and land in a giant pool. Without knowing it, you found yourself spending nearly an hour observing these dock dogs.
In midst of all the excitement and heat, you spy a misting system outside a large barn and you’d swear you’ve been transported to a water park.
You had a day you’ll never forget. This is the experience of the Clark County Fair.
Four-year-old Freya Wilson of Woodland flies on Aiport 8 at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)
Three-year-old Skymarie Roth of Vancouver enjoys a corndog at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)
Two-year-old Emelia Farren of Clackamas observes a chicken coop full of baby chicks at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)
Six-year-old Kenzy Buls of Brush Prairie shares a moment with her two-year-old Australian shepherd Lexi at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)
Three-year-old Georgia Anderson of Vancouver falls off a sheep while mutton busting at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)
River Cassidy-Hyre of Vancouver, 9, patiently waits as a group of butterflies land on her face in the Bug-O-logy Exhibit at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)
Isabel Sweet, from left to right, Scarlett Clark, 7, Jare Hahn, 8, and Joanie Hahn of Vancouver sit and watch the dock dogs competition at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)
Five-year-old Cru Bonnin of Vancouver, left, and Skylar King, 5, cool down under a misting system at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)
Nine-year-old Harper Lapinskas of Vancouver fights to maintain balance as she is tossed around in the ball at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)
David Wessels of La Center, bottom, hoists up his four-year-old son Finn Wessels so that he can high-five a member of the fair at the 2019 Clark County Fair. (Zach Wilkinson/The Columbian)