“Grab your Lederhosen, we’re going to the Fair”
Spice up your life by visiting the Washington Fair this summer. I’m not talking about Washington the state, and I’m definitely not talking about the capital — I’m talking about Washington County, Missouri. It’s the place to be!
In the first week of August, Washington hosts its Town and Country Fair starting Wednesday and lasting through Sunday. But wait. This isn’t just any ordinary small town. Although many deem Central Missouri as part of the “fly-over” region of America, it is actually deeply rooted in rich, interesting German culture. The Washington Fair is the one-stop-shop where you can experience Central Missouri all in one place.
Why does Central Missouri have a German influence?
Germany immigrants started settling in Central Missouri as early as 1848. European was falling into political chaos and was riddled with revolutions at this time. Many Germans decided it was best to pack their things and head to the new world. They came to the American frontier largely because of German explorer Gottfried Duden’s “Report on a Journey to the Western States of North America.” This pamphlet highlights his adventures through the American Midwest from 1824–1827. Through Duden’s writings, Germans read about the beautiful landscapes of the Missouri River Valley that compared so well to the Rhineland. Germans could live out their same simple, agrarian lives halfway across the world.
Why should I go to the Fair?
The Washington Town and Country Fair has every entertainment and comfort food under the sun. There are booths, games, thrill rides, food trucks, ice cream stands, and even musical performances. In recent years their musical lineup has included REO Speedwagon, Boston, Styx, Lifehouse, Third Eye Blind, and many more. In the summer of 2022, Flo Rida will be performing. Most people would be sold alone by these musical performances.
The Washington Fair is more than just a fair, however, it is a cultural experience. One unique event at the fair is called the “tractor pull.” If you’re like me this sounds bizarre, but German farmers found some really interesting ways to have fun in rural Missouri. Basically, crowds fill the stands as a big tractor flies by on a dirt runway hauling a heavy trailer behind it. Sometimes, the trailer or even the tractor can crash. At the very least there is a lot of commotion and a lot of mud flung through the air. It sounds crazy, I know, but you can’t knock it until you try it.
If there is one thing about all Germans, it is that they know how to relax and how to have a good time. At the fair, there are countless tents and Biergartens serving cool steins of beers and lagers. Some tents are so exclusive that they require a special passcode in German. Their are even sections of the fair that will only allow entrance to those wearing lederhosen. I know, I know. I had no idea what that was either. The best way I can describe it is lederhosen’s are the traditional German outfits that cartoons of Leprechauns wear. These silly traditions of the fair are all in good fun. Everyone is welcome and all are encouraged to have a blast!
The fair, quite interestingly, lasts all the way until Sunday. Germans have been butting heads with Catholics and Protestants about “the Lord’s Day” for ages now. For German’s Sunday is a day of leisure and of family. In 1852, the Fourth of July landed on a Sunday. Americans were calling to push the holiday to Monday but German immigrants held a parade in St. Louis on Sunday anyway in celebration of their independence.
In a similar way, Sunday at the fair is a leisurely celebration. It is a celebration of not only family, but also a celebration of community. It is a celebration of all the amazing German history that makes Washington County, Missouri so great today. So next time you’re zooming down I-70, make sure you pack a pair of lederhosen in the trunk and come see for yourselves what makes Washington, Missouri so special!
