CUMMING — A walk through the 2014 Cumming Country Fair & Festival proves it really is an event for all. From carnival games and high-speed rides to kiddie roller coasters, historic villages and funnel cakes, Forsyth County area residents may be far stretched to walk away from the fair without having had any fun. And those people weren’t easy to spot Thursday afternoon as the fair opened its 11-day run. Some people came for the debut because of the free admission, some because they had just got off work. And others came because they had been waiting all year, and it was finally time.“Honestly, she talks about it like nine months out of the year, so it’s safe to say it’s a tradition to us,” said Linda Lavrin of her 6-year-old daughter, Olivia. As she watched a horse in the Indian Village, there was no second thought in Olivia’s mind that her favorite part of the fair was the Ferris wheel, so she can see the clock tower and “at nights all the lights.” Her brother, Eric, 12, was also a fan of the Ferris wheel because, “I like being up so high.” But that was just the beginning. They had to go on the chair lift that nearly spans the length of the fair, then get some barbecue.“We have a whole list of things we have to get through each year,” Lavrin said. Fair-goers found enjoyment in the sights and activities even without young children. Kim and Jim Weaver also go every year, but their daughter is 16 and attends with her friends. So the Weavers have time to walk around on their own.“It’s us time,” Kim Weaver said. “It’s something we can do together, get exercise. It beats Six Flags.” And just like a family with a 6- and 12-year-old, parents have a fair check list: see the tigers and get a funnel cake. Those lists may be annual traditions, but there are always new faces ready to start their own traditions. Ashley Mitnick of Alpharetta came with her 18-month-old daughter for the first time. She said she was excited for the food selection and the chance to be with friends at a family friendly event. Her friend, Leah Beard, has brought her 4-year-old for several years.“It’s a good way to wear them out, stay outside. [My daughter] is a thrill seeker,” said Beard while watching the child on the kiddie roller coaster. As her daughter ran to get back in line, she said she had enough tickets for three or four rides and would see where it went from there.
