Barbara Lawlor, Gilpin County.  Things never before seen at the Gilpin County Fair: a live zebra, an erector set jungle gym that had parents holding their breath, and french fries loaded with pulled pork, cheese and barbecue sauce.

Things not seen at the fair: wind, TFPD dousing a burning building, and the Playground Theater, which was missed.

What will not be seen next year is the leadership of fair organizer Vicki Nemec, who is retiring from the daunting position of making sure the vendors, the events, and the huge staff of volunteers know what they are doing.

The 23rd Annual Gilpin County Fair was held last weekend, Friday and Saturday August 15 and 16, and had just about everything anyone could ask of a fair. The vendors’ treats were sinfully delicious, but no one paid attention to calories. The rides involved height and flying and just enough of a feeling of risk to make being on ground again feel comfortable and safe.

Children's events – the bike safety course, crawling on TFPD fire engines, building bird houses, and of course, mutton busting – guaranteed a good night's sleep at the end of the day, for the parents, too.

The bull riding was action-packed, as the bull riders got tossed into the air while rescuing a fallen rider from the horns that charged them. Before the competition began, the cowboys wrapped up their elbows and knees and shoulders before donning their protective gear. Getting injured is expected. One cowboy said the pain was worth the $12,000 he earned last month.

Locals participated in manly mountain competitions like log splitting, which was won by Gilpin County Youth Wrestling coach Pete Morgan. An old American flag was burned in the proper way, with respect; with various County non-profit groups taking part in the ceremony.

Casey Newman's Dog Agility contest was filled with many newcomers to the event who needed a little more prodding than usual. A black German Shepherd puppy missed The Tunnel of Doom but stole the hearts of the audience for his earnest effort to please his owner. The partnership between humans and their dogs is always a crowd pleaser.

On Sunday morning, the High Country Auxiliary put on its annual pancake breakfast fundraiser and they sold every last sausage, every large, round fluffy flapjack, and every drop of coffee. If you snoozed, you "losed."

Fire engines went round and round the fairgrounds; EMTs administered EKGs; State Patrol troopers brought a squished car and gave safety instructions about car seats and seat belts. One volunteer who tested cholesterol said many people became upset with them when they heard that they needed to change their life style. "It is often a wake-up call," she said.

Probably the most admired animal at the petting zoo was an amazing study in black and white graphics. The zebra with its large, long-lashed eyes stood mildly while children reached through the fence to touch his soft nose. There was a dignity about him that seemed to underscore his value as a fair animal. Other smaller animals like the goats and pot-bellied pig were more concerned with the food the kids had to offer.

Gilpin County martial arts students demonstrated moves and holds on each other and also amazed the audience with cutting potatoes in half while they were nestled in the palm of a classmate.

The annual baking contest was won by Barbara Hardt of The Mountain-Ear who won first place for her beer, bacon, cheddar bread, as well the Grand Champion ribbon. Allison, Hardt's daughter, bid on and won the German sour cream pull-aparts which were auctioned for $21, saying she didn't get any at home.

After Saturday's activities and after a thunderstorm rolled through the fairgrounds, the fair crew lit a large bonfire, gave away about 200 hot dogs, and handed out long twigs so kids and adults could melt the marshmallows for the mandatory S'mores.

It was a great weekend for all, just what families needed as the kids head back to school wondering what happened to the summer.