By Richard Shank
Shank’s Scoop
Root beer floats, homemade ice cream, politicians, lawn mowers and a multitude of food options highlighted a Saturday, Sept. 12, tour of the Kansas State Fair. It was as good a time as any to take an early morning trek around the fairgrounds and check things out.
This was what could be called a perfect fair day, meaning the sun was shining, the temperature was less than 100 degrees, and the wind was blowing under 25 mph.
As in the past 63 fairs I have attended, there was something for everyone. Please keep in mind, I attended my first fair as a small child and spent much of my time then seeking out root beer stands because it was my favorite drink from that distant time.
I didn’t walk far before viewing a multitude of options to buy farm equipment. TYM, a tractor brand manufactured in South Korea, was offered for sale through a dealership in Wichita, and the sales associate was well informed in presenting his product, Across the fairgrounds, John Deere, a 189-year-old company, was exhibiting in its usual spot. KanEquip was promoting not only its toy (model) tractors, but also the larger version. Schmidt & Sons from Mount Hope is back at the fair for the 49th year with an assortment of machinery options.
Political discourse or debates have been held at large public events since the founding of our nation, so it should be expected the State Fair would host one. Nearly 2,500 were packed into the Heartland Credit Union Pavilion for two debates preceding a show by hypnotist Ron Diamond. Hypnosis and politics seem like a unique combination for Saturday entertainment, but most fairgoers seemed pleased to attend both.
Both sides were well prepared for the debates with a large group of supporters and signs in support of their favorite candidate for the gubernatorial and senate contests. Cheers and a few jeers, coupled with applause, were the theme for the 90-minute debates.
I found it slightly amusing when one of the candidates used Ronald Reagan’s 1984 comment, “There he goes again,” when chastising her opponent. Some old political expressions seem to last forever.
In visiting with attendees following the debates, I couldn’t find one person who said his or her mind was changed as a result of the hour-and-a-half give and take exchange. Most said they felt their side was heard and that their favorite candidate did well.
Flagpole Farms from Paynesville, Minn., was back at the fair marketing flags and flag poles and was attracting a significant amount of interest on this Saturday morning. We purchased both flag and the pole at the 2023 fair and, today, Old Glory greets visitors to the Shank farm near New Cambria, which has added a patriotic touch to the old homeplace.
When looking inside the food court, I noticed it was packed with diners, making another option appear to work better. A short walk up the street provided another venue, but endured a 15-minute wait for service. That all means Saturday was a big day at the fair.
For me, it was a little disappointing in that I hoped to order from the vendor in the southeast corner of the building who sells chicken noodles and meatloaf. It’s like being back on the farm eating like farmers used to.
It was great to see KWCH Channel 12 back at the fair on the east end of the Eisenhower Building for the 72nd time. The station, established in Hutchinson in 1953, has been a part of every fair since the year it went on air as a CBS affiliate. It’s always good to visit with meteorologist Ross Janssen to get his take on future weather patterns.
A Texas vendor offered every garden tool one would ever want, including a new hand-held invention used to cut off tree roots. As a customer from previous fairs, I told him his products are so good that they never wear out and I’m not sure he wanted to hear that feedback at an event where he is selling. And, if you need a broom to sweep up all the debris, he sold them too.
An exhibitor marketing storm shelters was attracting a lot of attention. When I was growing up on the farm, times were more challenging when it came to safety during storms. We walked 50 feet south of the house to a cave, and when entering wondered how many snakes would greet us.
During a walkthrough of the Pride of Kansas Building, an assortment of pumpkins, all Kansas-grown, awaited a judge’s decision on which was the best.
Evergy was meeting with customers offering advice on how to save on their electric bills. People had multiple options to purchase a new sewing machine, and those into skin care had several creams to consider.
The Slide, adjacent to the 1861 Club, was purchased this past year by the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation and underwent a major facelift in advance of this year’s fair. On this sunny day, a large group of people were taking a slide from the top to bottom, and seemed to be getting a major thrill out of each moment.
Still, at the end of the day, one of these highlights is the opportunity to reconnect with old friends you might see only once a year to get caught up on the goings-on in their lives.
As of publication day, we are just beyond the mid-point of the 2026 Kansas State Fair. Time remains to make a trip to Hutchinson to meet and greet and, perhaps, find something you can’t live without at the Kansas State Fair.
See you at the fair.
Richard Shank is a retired AT&T manager and external representative for Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. He can be reached at shankr@prodigy.net or by calling 620-664-1517.