This is the start of what I hope to be a team wide series on how do we unplug from our electronic world we are so very connected to.  While we are still so obsessed with technology it’s unnatural, we still have to unplug sometimes.  Sometimes it’s good to get away from technology every once in a while.  That keeps us sharp and ready to go when the next bit of technological goodness comes down the pipe.  While technology is very good, it’s not the end all be all.  While technology is very important to this writer, it is not more important than the people I unplug with, my family.  So enjoy this post and take sometime to unplug sometime this week, this month or in the next few months as the holiday season approaches!

In 1903, George R. Haswell who was then the Mayor of Circleville, Ohio came up with an idea to setup a small exhibit in front of his place of corn shocks, pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns.  The pumpkins were responsible for the name, Pumpkin Show.  The next year, other merchants joined the mayor and in 1905 the first Merry-Go-Round was setup at the corner of Main and Scioto Streets.  From there, the Pumpkin Show blossomed to include many vendors and civic organizations all serving up food typical and not so typical of a county fair.  One Hundred Two years later, people come from miles around to visit the Pumpkin Show.  They even come from out of state.  It’s that big.  Circleville now closes much of it’s small downtown annually for the Greatest Free Show on Earth, the Circleville Pumpkin Show.

First, we’ll start of with what is, to me, the best display of pumpkins, gourds and corn shocks I have ever seen.  Standing prominently in this display is of course the top winners in the Giant Pumpkin Growing contest.  This years winner was Bob and Jo Liggett with their giant weighing in at a massive 1375.5 lbs!

Bob & Jo Liggett

The next biggest feature of the pumpkin display is the pumpkin pyramid that is set up every year.  Whoever does this has to be gifted because the pumpkins are almost all the exact same size.  The pyramid looks the same almost every year.  It’s a big focal point of the Pumpkin Show and hard to believe it’s Pumpkin Show  without it.

The Pumpkin Pyramid

There are many more pumpkins and gourds on display.  They are also all for sale if you should decide to come next year.  The dates for next year are: October 21, 2009-October 24, 2009.

The Pumpkin Display

If all it was was a bunch of gourds, it would be kind of boring.   Thankfully, they have food that is out of this world and just about anything that can be done with pumpkin has been done with it at the pumpkin show.  You have Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Donuts, Pumpkin Fudge, Pumpkin Ice Cream, Pumpkin Burgers, Pumpkin Chili and Pumpkin Pizza.  Everything from sweet to savory that can be done with pumpkin has been done with pumpkin over the years.

Of course, if that was all and you hated pumpkin, you’d be unhappy.  Fortunately, there’s plenty of non pumpkin food too.  Italian Sausage, Fair Frys and Tacos.  Your typical fair food is all there and there’s even some atypical fair food.  Below is my favorite, Sauerkraut Balls.  They are served up by the Hey Hey Bar and Grill from Columbus, Ohio and are quite good.  This stand also has Potato Pancakes with Apple Sauce or Sour Cream and Limburger Cheese Sandwiches. (pass! :P )

Of course I had to have some sweet Pumpkin things too.  I ordered a Pumpkin Ice Cream cone.  The cone was made in the booth so it’s very fresh and tasty too.

My son asked for this thing that I do not quite know the name of.  It basically had a 2 crust Pumpkin Pie, topped with Pumpkin Ice Cream, Cinnamon Sauce and Whipped cream.  Here’s what I got to finish for him since he could not eat it all.  He had already ate the whipped cream.

Doesn’t this look tasty?

Of course what street fair is a street fair with out rides??  I loved it when I was a kid and my son definitely still gets jazzed at 9 about paying 2 bucks to ride a crappy fair ride.

Wee!

On your way home, it’s quite common to stop at several places to take some pumpkin and non-pumpkin goodies home.  One place you may want to stop is Lindsey’s Bakery on Main Street.  It’s there  that you can get some Pumpkin Donuts or see the World’s Greatest Pumpkin Pie.  Check this thing out.

Oh and just so you don’t freak out, they feed it to the pigs after the show.  If you look close on the right edge, people have “left their mark” in the custard.  So, you wouldn’t want to eat it now.  Not sure if you can order your own or where you could get rid of it if you did!

Oh and on your way out, keep looking and you will find gems like this man hole cover.

There is a parade every night at 8 and they have a total of 7 parades in 4 days.  So if you love marching band music, this is the place to be in October!  Occasionally, you might get lucky and get to see TBDBITL otherwise known as The Ohio State University Marching Band, but usually it’s just High Schools.

The best part of this is other than purchase, admission to the street fair is totally free!  So if your in the mood for a good down home street fair and are in the Central Ohio area, check out the Circleville Pumpkin Show.  I promise that you will have a great time and since it’s about 20 miles south of Columbus, you will probably be unplugged as I seriously doubt your iPhone will work here.  I could be wrong though! ;)

I know, this isn’t tech.  This is how I unplugged for a few hours.  When I got home, I spent alot of productive time getting things done on the home network and I was able to look at the problems I was having at home from a new perspective.

If you have a suggestion on how to be unplugged or story about being unplugged, e-mail me via my contact page or just respond to this post.

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