Fair has many phases

When you're little and in elementary school, and the fair is coming up, all you can think about are the rides and animals. When you're a teen all you can think of is getting together with your friends and looking for hot guys or chicks. When you become an adult all you can think of is food and the exhibits.

The little kid phase goes like this -- you go to the fair with your parents and all you do is bug them about when you're going to get to go on the rides and get to pet the animals. The games get you really excited, you just can't wait to win all of those prizes. And then when you have to go look at the exhibits, all you complain about is more rides, and how boring it is to look at big vegetables and cookies that you can't eat.

The teen phase is like this -- you go to the fair with your friends and admire all the cute, guys or girls. You want to go on those rides you said looked really scary and swore would never go on when you were little. You go for some food but don't taste everything like your parents do. You go shopping with a ton of money and spend all of it on little trinkets you find, and you're so happy your parents aren't with you to drag you to those boring shows, and exhibits.

The adult phase (parents) -- you go with your spouse one day without the kids and check out all the food booths, taste testing everything. You usually never think about going on rides. The tickets are always overpriced and waiting an hour in line is ridiculous. You go see the exhibits, giant cabbages, pies, cookies, paintings and other things people enter in the contests and maybe a couple shows. You might go to a couple shops but usually don't buy anything.

The anticipation is always the same. You always count the days until the day of the fair arrives and you arrive early. Wanting to be the first in line, but the people that spend the night in their big motor homes are always there first. The smell, sound, and taste of the fair is the same to everyone.

There's always something for everyone at the fair.

Kim Gedicks is a 14-year-old student and fan of the Alaska State Fair.