I took my British girlfriend to an American county fair

[@punkrockzoologist9449]

Next episode, Heather takes Evan to Gloucester for the Cheese-Rolling.

[@lucie4185]

Followed by the Bridgewater carnival and Ottery barrel carrying.

[@shaunbyrne9037]

Followed by the Atherstone Ball Game for some light hearted banter 😉 .

[@alicehughes4926]

@@shaunbyrne9037 and then to Tetbury for woolsack racing

[@RyanESmail]

Genius

[@0KiteEatingTree0]

Lts not forget the flaming barrel rolling. And county fairs in the Uk are a serious business 😂👍

[@annebolynzarsilve]

One of my favorite County fair memories was about 5 years ago now. They had a pen set up to show off sheep herding. Due to a scheduling mix-up, this couple didn't have their collie with them at the pen. They DID have their eight year old son with them. He did a great job! Everyone cheered him on while he herded sheep. Kid had a LOT of energy.

[@nigeh5326]

But did he do a better job than the collies?

[@annebolynzarsilve]

@nigeh5326 kind of a regular vacuum vs. Roomba situation. In a real field that was super big? He wouldn't have been able to keep up with the dogs. 15' by 30' pen though? He did good! Didn't need the level of supervision/instruction herding dogs would need either. (8 year old kid understands WAAAY more human phrases than 8 year old collie) Kid had CLEARLY seen this done before. Less speed, but less supervision required.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@annebolynzarsilve Nice.

[@lynnhamps7052]

We do have County 'fairs' in the UK, usually called County Shows, as a kid I'd go to the one at the East of England Showground in Peterborough where i grew up. They'd have steam traction engines, tractors and giant shire horses. Sheep and sheep dog trials. Lots of other farming equipment and sometimes classic cars. There would be loads of food stalls selling hot dogs, jacket potatoes, fish and chips and at least two huge spit roasting pigs. No kids on sheep or chasing piglets though, we'd think that was a bit cruel... to the animals, not the kids...lol.

[@Scuzzlebutt142]

New Zealand has something vaguely equivalent in it's Fieldays, and A&P Shows, more along the lines of the county shows the UK has. Much more in line with NZ culture though.

[@frankhooper7871]

I used to "perform" at the East of England showground - American square dancing in the main arena. Always a fun day out. I've also been to the Suffolk county show a few times. They're really not that different from American county fair; I also both Orange County Fair and LA County Fair...as well as the California State Fair.

[@AmandaFromWisconsin]

At least it's not bull fighting like they do in Spain.

[@TheBreadthatcausedLesMis]

yeah here in Nottingham we have Goose Fair which has been happening in some form for the past 740 years.

[@evelynwilson1566]

Aye, here in Scotland we have local shows . There's also the big annual Highland show at Ingliston in Edinburgh. This has a lot more entertainment than our local show though. Our l8cal show has competitions for the animals, show jumping, sheep shearing demos and old tractor displays. Sometimes there is Highland Dancing. The show jumping are qualifiers for bigger events. There' s no special food just burger vans but they are usually posh burger vans. We don't do pageants or rodeo, and its not about patriotism. Its really a chance for people to demonstrate skills and be rewarded for their husbandry, for farmers to socialise, and for the public to learn and get up close to farming. We also have local Highland Games, where they do all sorts of sports. The big differences are: no pageants; no religion; no rodeos; no patriotism. Just a nice day out for everyone.

[@Dan-is2qk]

I love watching evan being American. It's so surreal

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

From what I've seen she's hardly English, she seems to know nothing about the UK. 🤣

[@Dan-is2qk]

​@@user-yv2cz8oj1k...what lol?

[@arania.exumai]

Did you hear his accent change during the pig scramble? It suddenly got so "country" at around 13:30, lol

[@tonyluong6732]

​@Dan-is2qk People can't be happy so they're always a few dickheads who ruin shit for everyone else. Just ignore them, and they'll go away on their own. Everyone has an opinion, and unfortunately, the internet forces you to hear their dumbass ones but still just pretend they are just npcs trying to bother you about the cloud district.

[@davidwhite5800]

Tractor pulling is definitely a thing in the UK. I watched it this year at my local county show. English county shows are very similar to this American fair only there's definitely no Rodeo, fewer cowboy hats and with some more British things such as competitive sheep shearing and lots of local cheese stalls.

[@perryelyod4870]

Or saying a prayer to your god?

[@kellymoses8566]

@@perryelyod4870 England has an official state religion called the Church of England and 26 seats in the House of Lords are reserved for CoE bishops!

[@fools_opinions]

They also run a significant number of primary schools. I went to one and each day started with the lord's prayer and some hymns adjusted for kids to sing during the morning assembly. But after that was done the rest of the day was no different to a state primary school.

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

​@@kellymoses8566 True, but it's not shoved down our throats. I say this as a long-term Anglican, medium-term (and counting) atheist.

[@jackwalker4874]

Agricultural shows are definitely a thing in the UK. The Bath & West Show and the Royal Welsh Show are some of the better known ones, though most rural counties will have their own. They have tractor pulls too.

[@triscuitbiscuit]

Heather- it is even uncharted territory for people who grew up in the north half of the state. NJ is such an insanely small state but cultures can be night and day different.

[@IceMetalPunk]

Yeah, I have extended family in New Brunswick, and from my experiences there, not once have I ever thought there would be half as much of the Southern-ness in Jersey that's in the video 😂

[@nigeh5326]

Same if you live on the edge of bigger British conurbations. I grew up on the edge of the Black Country and just a quarter of a mile away it all becomes countryside with farms and woodland. Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire all border my area of the West Midlands.

[@BH6242KCh]

I grew up in Sussex County and the county fair there was massive. Go see it if you get a chance.

[@MartijnPennings]

"insanely small" is still larger than half of my entire country (Netherlands)

[@JohnDoe-fu6zt]

@@MartijnPennings New Jersey is also entirely above sea level.

[@dalestockman4292]

Thank you. Warmed my heart. Glad to see that NJ still has a part that is down to earth.

[@carolineskipper6976]

Most UK Counties have a County Fair of some kind, which includes a lot of what was seen here. The exceptions are the 'rodeo' type events and the pig chasing. We do see piglet racing in some places - but not being chased by humans. It would be seen as as being against animal welfare. The other exception is the whole prayer and national anthem bit.....that's SO American.

[@tedioustotoro4885]

I’ve not seen pig racing at a county show, I have seen ferret racing though.

[@FlatDerrick]

Lincolnshire show has pig racing

[@ivetterodríguez-j4k]

I found the prayer bit strange as an American and I was raised Christian. 😂

[@JhericFury]

We had sheep racing

[@TheOriginal_BigMac]

Yeah, that bit was cringey and vomit-inducing

[@FrankeeLee223]

Take your lady to the Texas State fair . I went a few years back and I loved it ! The ferris wheel, the great food, all the beautiful animals and all of the friendly people. It was Awesome

[@ericaschoenberg7782]

seconded! I went to the Houston Rodeo a few times as a kid, and remember a lot of the same things (pig races, fried food, carnival rides, local art contest, cowboy hats & lassos abounding) but taken to the next exponential power haha!

[@BackWordsJane]

Yes! Everything's bigger in Texas including their state fair. You get greeted by a giant Cowboy statue named Big Tex 🤠

[@coasttocoast2011]

Aussie here, none of this was really surprising to me because we have agriculture shows here. We have chicken judging and horse riders doing barrel racing as well as the rodeo. I don’t think my show has mutton busting but I think other shows in Australia might There’s rides and a sideshow alley too with market stalls and show bags. My favourite part as a kid was always the show bag

[@everypitchcounts4875]

Australia also has lawnmower racing

[@coasttocoast2011]

@ oh nice, my local one doesn’t do that but we do poddy calf riding instead of sheep

[@Raptor3400]

I've always thought that Austrailia was more like America than Britian anyway.

[@BlackCatBritt]

upstate NYer here. Most of the county fairs I've been to have a demolition derby after the tractor pull, and a lumberjack competition happening throughout the day. Fascinating stuff lol

[@mike_w-tw6jd]

lumberjacks are ok !

[@LogicalNiko]

I do have to say Heather is hilarious, her British wit is awesome. And a good deep fried pickle is a southern must, I agree when done well and fresh they are the perfect balance of flavors and textures.

[@R.L.KRANESCHRADTT]

10:00 I'm from Oklahoma... grew up around Rodeo for 50yrs...I never knew they did that in New Jersey....seriously....🤠🤠

[@dvdbluraydude3038]

Lol, I was thinking the same

[@BushnoSkillzz]

They fly confederate flags in South Jersey and will tell you if the Mason Dixon line ran straight like it should they'd be under it.

[@maggiee.3589]

South Jersey in general, but especially Salem County, has historically always been more culturally similar to the South than anywhere else nearby. The area is very rural and almost always elects a Republican to Congress. Interestingly enough, New Jersey was the last northern state to abolish slavery (it mostly died out in the 1830’s but they still had some slaves even right after the Civil War ended) - and that’s largely because the Peach orchards, vineyards, and farms in the south of the state relied so heavily on slave labor. It’s kinda crazy to think that NJ was a part of the Union but still had slaves during the war.

[@MrYellowClyde]

They’re trying. Those boys definitely aren’t PBR material.

[@tedioustotoro4885]

As someone who’s gone to British county shows a lot as a kid, the smoke from the tractor pull seems tame compared to some of the traction engines I’ve seen rolling around the shows

[@TheEulerID]

As Heather is a Buckinghamshire girl, then maybe take a trip the Bucks County Show to see the British equivalent. Also, the smoke is part of the atmosphere. Literally true of course... nb. there is a UK tractor pulling championship, but I don't think it happens at country fairs. There are also traction engine pulls, but again not, I think, at county fairs. Those are at steam fairs, which I tend to think are quintessentially British, but I could be wrong. They do generate a lots of smoke too.

[@Theodore-zd2mv]

Steam fairs are also very common in the U.S. and Canada. At least in the mid-west where I am from.

[@neilbucknell9564]

Many UK County Shows do include steam traction engines, horse-drawn vehicles, military displays, equestrian competitions and other "shows" - including such things as terrier racing. I think Evan going to one would make a good video.

[@haveyoutakenyourmeds]

I love traction and steam rallys. The atmosphere is amazing and listening to commentators is comedy gold (if you can understand them😂).

[@JoeBleasdaleReal]

As a Brit, I can’t count the number of times I muttered “oh, fuck off” to myself during this video. Props to Heather for keeping a straight face the whole time 😂😂😂

[@TheAdambright]

Bemused.

[@MultiEquations]

I was the same as someone from NYC lol.

[@daanachmad4032]

@ As someone from NYC, how do you find yourself bemused by fellow Americans who are not from NYC? *how often

[@alloallie]

For me, a Filipino, it was 'What even is that?'

[@IceMetalPunk]

As a suburban boy from Florida: same. The South really is its own country, culturally speaking... guess that's why they tried to make that happen geopolitically as well 😂

[@davidhamm7909]

Deep fried Oreos? Sounds like something you’d get at Glasgow fair. 😂

[@jennievrchota2284]

Deep fried oreos are amazing!

[@IceMetalPunk]

Okay, but those are *amazing.* I've made them at home a few times, and they're just scrumptious. You dip them in batter -- at home, I go with Bisquick pancake mix. The cookie absorbs the oil, so it gets all soft, and the cream melts into the batter... the whole thing becomes a hot, soft, greasy, sweet, heart-attack-inducing piece of heaven.

[@AmandaFromWisconsin]

Wouldn't that be Mars bars?

[@edwardballiet2167]

Serve with ice cream as well

[@alejandrorivas4585]

A lot of county fair food stem from scotch immigrants in the 1700s

[@really-quite-exhausted]

My only knowledge of US county fairs comes from reading Charlotte's Web multiple times as a kid, so I only really thought about the "best looking animal" competition that Wilbur is in. With all the other activities and spectator events this looks like such a fun day out!!

[@jeffragar3493]

It is fun. This fair was missing the carnival rides and games that most fairs have. Next level is a state fair which is like a county fair X10.

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

Nothing beats a small town county fair to be honest. Especially when your town is on the national rodeo circuits its a blast.

[@mcmadness110]

@@jeffragar3493the fair I go to every year is the Big E in west Springfield MA. It is closest to a state fair but people come from around New England.

[@njm57]

I enjoyed your county fair. We have them in the Midlands too, in the Uk, but we only ride horses. Lots of animal judging, cakes and crafts, tractors, dog agility, displays, food. They are great fun. Villages put on their own smaller versions. We have Wakes Fairs in the towns, which are huge fun fairs that visit for three or four days and set up through the streets. I lived for years in a London suburb and had no idea this went on.

[@heneagedundas]

And some of the village ones can be pretty impressive, see Hecklington for example.

[@nigeh5326]

I live in the Black Country and as a lad used to go to the Malvern Showgrounds for shows there. I always enjoyed it.

[@TanksRock]

I went to a Northumberland village fair recently and they had sheep racing, they just put lightweight dummies on the back as 'jockeys' 🤣

[@crae_s]

I live in Ireland, and we have lots of county fairs here. Similar to this. With chicken “beauty pageant”, cow auctions, demos of farm machines, flower arrangement competitions, sheep races, etc. Think some have plowing competitions too. The prison is really weird though, and riding bulls doesn’t happen here 😂

[@LanceCSTCuddy]

remember that we get eggplant as a literal translation of the Arabic for “egg plant,” and British English got aubergine from the Arabic to Catalan to the French translation of “egg plant.” Also, the original plant absolutely looks like hard boiled white eggs on a stem.

[@TomekSmykowski]

21:06 Heather's tractor-attractor face is pure gold 😂 I love the chemistry between you two 😊

[@user-tc6xg5ze2u]

Evan, not far from London : I recommend SouthOfEngland Summer show in Ardingly. Not as wild, but with plenty of beautiful farm animals (an odd pigs' race), great produce (food hall wth cider, pies & cheese counters being my favourite) & historic vehicles/engines, fun fair, etc. There is a Winter Show but not as pleasurable 😉 Love ya both - you make a cute couple ❤ Thank you for this episode: loved it, and now ....I want a fried pickle !

[@amberatartimec2564]

Also cowpie in Lingfield, although they've had to call it off last couple of years

[@user-tc6xg5ze2u]

@amberatartimec2564 never had a chance to go to this one, but seeing it's fairly local and there is one planned next year...I might be tempted 😉 Thanks for the tip 🙂

[@Kim_Music_books_racing_fan]

The thing with the kids is that you want to get the next generation interested in the events, so that as they grow up, they want to continue doing the stuff as adults. Without young people being involved, things will die off. Not every kid will like it, obviously, but some will get hooked for life. From my experience, I grew up going to a drag racing track (the kind at Englishtown, NJ and Santa Pod, for Evan and Heather) because my dad worked there. I grew to love it and still attend events at various tracks many times a year. Young people (kids and younger adults) are the lifeblood in keeping anything- sports, fairs, clubs, etc. alive and thriving. Also, as a southerner, I'm happy that Heather enjoyed sweet tea.

[@lloydedwards809]

Normalising violence & animal 'abuse' for everyone, especially children

[@higgme1ster]

@@lloydedwards809 That's better than being a pansy arse.

[@BillLaBrie]

@@lloydedwards809squeal like a pig for us

[@JustAGooseman]

@@lloydedwards809 L take. If you think pampering people is healthy you have never met a sociopathic rich kid lol. Exposing children to various stimuli that might be uncomfortable to some degree is how you raise healthy children. Its either they ride a sheep for less then a second, or maybe we can go back to the way the Brits did it and have children learn to fence? I mean, I'm perfectly down to let children poke each others eyes out and slash each others faces; because why put animals at risk aye?

[@aaronburdon221]

@@lloydedwards809 Those animals are probably better cared for than most people around the world. They're given food, shelter, warmth, comfort, and even love. The industrial farming needs to stop, but these animals are from small farms where the farmers literally take care of them like they're their own children because their livelihood depends on it. I live in farm country and know some of these farmers. Cows are like big dogs in that they love head scratches and hugs and most of them wouldn't run away even if they opened the gates for them.

[@Recman700]

Reminds me a lot of the various country shows you get here. Tractor displays, classic cars, sheep and cattle competitions. The most recent one I went to had 'dancing' sheep, a young vs old farmers relay (silage wrapping and loading) and a wacky horse jumping and quadbike relay competition between some of the local hunts

[@kristophergoordman7225]

While tomatillos are in the nightshade family just like tomatoes, they are not a type of tomato. They are actually more closely related to gooseberries.

[@nedhill1242]

Come down South for some serious fair action. We have county fairs, but the annual state fair will blow your minds. The biggest is naturally in Texas, but SC, FL, and pretty much every state in the South has an insane state fair.

[@simonmatthews7512]

I quite liked the tractors to start with but not so much now. I'm an ex-tractor fan....

[@PLuMUK54]

Don't call us, we will call you! Next!

[@andyf4292]

that sucks!

[@Chomp-Rock]

​@@andyf4292and it blows!

[@Denis-ez8gd]

When I see "my British girlfriend", I always think that there is another AMERICAN girlfriend

[@rachelwalsh3575]

😂

[@bluekitty3731]

Don't give him any ideals!

[@MartijnPennings]

My dad introduces my mother sometimes as "this is my FIRST wife". Yes, they're together. No, they've never been married to anyone else. My mom finds this really annoying, my dad thinks it's funny.

[@JohnDoe-fu6zt]

Yes, he has to say that to keep from getting them all mixed up.

[@rancidmarmot1994]

😳🤫

[@CareyTisdal]

I am surprised to see this in New Jersey! Thanks Evan, for broadening my horizons as an American!

[@RNS_Aurelius]

Child pageants are one of those things I hear about and think "how is that still legal?"

[@IceMetalPunk]

I'd definitely recommend the child pageant episode of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia 😂 (If you've never seen that series, keep in mind it's a satirical show, and the main characters are meant to be horrible people to hate, not protagonists to cheer for. You have been warned.)

[@DarrenMansell]

​@@IceMetalPunk"I'm going backstage now. To MY dressing room. Which is nowhere near the kids dressing room, which is on the other side of the stage"

[@andyf4292]

gotta think Saville would have loved them...

[@mike_w-tw6jd]

​@@andyf4292or a certain prince

[@Chomp-Rock]

Freedom! Yeehaw!

[@carriep7378]

In Norfolk (UK) we have troshs which are rural fairs/shows that showcases traditional farming methods, such as threshing, ploughing, and baling. The word "trosh" comes from the phrase "we're going troshin", which was used by farmers when they went out to gather the harvest with threshing machines.

[@nigeh5326]

Same across the UK counties and towns have long had fairs and shows to encourage people to visit but produce and just have a fun day. I used to love the 3 counties showground events in Malvern Worcestershire as a lad.

[@PiersDJackson]

In the words of Stephen Fry, "normal for Norfolk"....

[@aaronburdon221]

I always was curious about using an old fashioned scythe. I know it's an acquired skill and a little bit dangerous but I always found it interesting.

[@jmas43]

Funnel cake is dependent on who is making it, the batter that is used, and the method of cooking. Good funnel cake is made with two different pots of oil at two different temperatures to make sure it is cooked evenly throughout. If you ever take Heather to Dollywood, they make them right. Also, get the apple cobbler added on top, because it's divine.

[@dzzope]

On the rodeo riding, the bull is only going nuts cos of the rope around it's waist. 9:02 If you notice the guy in blue pulls the slip knot and the bull immediately calms down.

[@indigohammer5732]

I was always told that the rope was tied between it's neck and scrotum. Every time it looks up, the knot tightened.

[@Izamota-q5v]

Those bulls get spoiled and are generally pretty tame when not "working" too - You should see the bulls at the proffesional level, they're living the life!

[@mikeyoung490]

No shit Sherlock

[@Ciara_Turner]

Thats what a funnel cake is?? I honestly had no idea what I'd expect, but definitely thought it'd be more cake-y

[@headerahelix]

funnel cake because you have to pour the batter through a funnel into oil. If you're in Europe come to Finland and get tippaleipä, americans trying to claim everything for themselves.

[@nathangamble125]

I thought it would be funnel-shaped. I've seen pictures before where it's wrapped into a funnel.

[@MartijnPennings]

I thought it would be more liek a chimney cake. It's a Hungarian snack I think.

[@CortexNewsService]

Honestly, funnel cake is just an excuse to eat powdered sugar

[@syntheticjesso]

@@nathangamble125 The "funnel" part is from how it's made, or how it was originally made. It's basically like a pancake or waffle batter poured into a deep fryer through a funnel, so you get that kind of "pile of ribbons" thing going. I don't think they do it that way anymore, because efficiency probably.

[@gilliat777]

This should literally be a blockbuster 🤩🤣

[@ThreeRunHomer]

The anthem and prayer before the mutton busting 😆

[@LinkinMark1994]

I chuckled a little because it’s the same recording of the anthem that they play on Newsmax during commercial breaks 😅

[@Helldriver101]

Now we need heather to take you to a British fair/fayre. I've always loved sash the crockery. Edit that kid sheep riding looks bloody dangerous Also we very much use big lawnmowers, we have 2 at work, a john deer and an iseki I suppose the uk equivelant of tractor pulls would be a steam fair

[@oliviawolcott8351]

mutton busting is pretty safe compared to bullriding. they're not high off the ground, so they don't fall and the sheep aren't really violent like the bulls are.

[@oliviawolcott8351]

some areas also race suped up lawnmowers.

[@danstratyt]

Yes a village fete so much more of a unique experience even though we do have county fairs too!

[@mytube001]

I went to a tractor pulling event here in Sweden as a child. Absolutely awesome!

[@makotoisme]

County fairs definitely exist in the Uk but without the rodeo aspects. Though I have seen donkey racing, pig racing and there is usually a birds of prey display and sometimes a petting zoo (I got to pet a skunk once). Near me we have the Caerphilly big cheese festival, lots of rides, many food and crafts stalls, medieval re-enactments and several live music/ performances stages. At full size it covers most of the town centre and the castle (it’s been mini for the past few years though due to repairs on the castle).

[@ColdClock]

I'm British and I got taken to the local police station as part of the scouts to show us around the place, including the cells. It wasn't to scare us straight but it did have the opposite intended effect on us children as we were told the prisoners got McDonald's on Fridays.

[@longiusaescius2537]

Least Hotel Like UK prison

[@kg4wwn]

There are some points to having extremely powerful tractors. First, there are harvesters and plows that you can pull that are very wide, and if it is soil that hasn't been plowed before, it will take a lot of work. However I think the biggest strain on a tractor in normal setting is probably pulling up stumps or rocks. There are stumps that even the biggest of those tractors wouldn't be able to pull, but the bigger the tractor the bigger stump you can pull and the easier it is to clear farmland.

[@Spudz76]

It is also a nice demonstration of balancing horsepower and torque, since to get moving it needs torque but then to keep momentum it needs horsepower for a bit of speed but also not a whole bunch of wheelspin, and then a ton of torque again toward the end when the weight gets to the top of the sled. Being one-gear all of that must be accomplished in the engine setup, and throttle/brake control finesse. It's really a more complicated mechanical art than it really appears. Stump pulling is 100% torque and traction, who cares how fast it moves. But if you stump-pulled the sled you'd probably lose it part way through the run for not having any forward momentum.

[@HistoricWrath]

I never imagined they had county fairs in New Jersey 😂 Jersey doesn’t scream paragon of agriculture to me lol

[@evan]

Garden state?

[@jennifermoon3276]

:) I live in Salem County, NJ! I'm glad other people are seeing how rural NJ can be.

[@patricianocerabrandy4190]

Love that you show that New Jersey has county fairs. My mom took me to so many. Thank you for teaching the world about our beautiful state.

[@elliesconcerts]

Looks fun! Apart from some of the animal stuff? Idk I just felt like some of the events were kind of cruel? When I was a kid, I remember getting put in a prison van at a UK country show. Does that count 😂😂

[@Clarice-rp7mh]

Have you ever been near any of these animals? You weren't specific, I have to guess you meant the bull or the sheep? It is the humans that are injured in these events. I guess the bull in your steak and kidney pie had a much better life.

[@Electric999999]

@@Clarice-rp7mh Just because you're going to slaughter and eat an animal eventually it doesn't mean it's ok to be cruel in the meantime.

[@nance1111]

Heather is a keeper. Also, a few thoughts about the fair. It's really a showcase of farming culture. The same thing happens in the UK - varying a bit, think the Highland show. The fair on the east coast is a bit different than in the mid-west which is a bit different than in the west. But all in all they, along with events like the Highland show all include showing off your animals, farming equipment, skills (bull riding, quilting, canning, crops grown,) and "fair food." It's a chance to get together and socialize, for many in the farming community it's the highlight of their year.

[@nigeh5326]

As a Brit I’ve always wanted to visit the USA. Yes to see New York and Washington but I also want to go to an area like Salem County and sit in a diner eating an American breakfast drinking coffee and just listening to Americans chewing the cud (chatting). The County Fair reminds me in some ways of the county fairs I saw at places such as Malvern Showground and the Warwickshire show.

[@MartijnPennings]

I'd LOVE to do some kind of cross country road trip of the US some time, it just seems so hostile nowadays. And obviously I feel like you can't talk politics, religion or any views on life without getting into a shouting match or gun fight. Maybe I watch too much news...

[@OliveDNorth]

​@@MartijnPennings You watch too much news. You would have a great time. 😊

[@cbeaudry4646]

Family goes to a fair in NH every year, where they have a "Pig Scramble" for kids 1st-5th grade. I put my name in the raffle every year, & then finally got in as a 5th grader. Me & 9 other kids locked in a corral, then they let 10 piglets loose, & we chase them trying to stuff them in big potatoe sacks. I caught 1. At the end we went over to get my ribbon & turns out (to my parents big surprise) there is NO ribbon; they give you the piglet. We bought a cage & took him home, i named him Huffy. Luckily my neighbor had a small horse barn & his horse had just died a few months prior, so he let us use it in exchange for some bacon. Raised & took care of that pig the rest of the fall & all winter (the 3 things i remember most are how much it ate -LOVED pumpkins- playing tag with it, & shoveling it's poop), then i came home from school 1 day & he was gone -sent to a butcher. We had him for Easter breakfast. Best but saddest bacon, ham, & sausage I've ever had

[@vickywitton1008]

My friend lives in Utah and their county fairs have amazing butter sculptures!

[@jennievrchota2284]

This makes me miss my county fair. I was in 4h and FFA all through school and the county fair was the biggest event of the year in our town. We litterally plan my family reunions for the weekend of the fair. Though we dont have some of the events that apparently this fair does, they all seemed pretty on par with what i think of when it comes to fair activities.

[@tomrogue13]

I haven't gone to our county fair in a few years

[@carsonwieker]

Love to ya both, cheers! 💚🙏🏼

[@IDann1]

best episode yet, keep them coming with the better half

[@Metal_Maxine]

Catching greased pigs was once a thing in this country, but I think we're not talking the twentieth century here. I think the winning pig chaser (adult) was required to hold the squeaking thing above his head and the prize was, obviously, said pig. The other memorable (to me, at least) English country fair activity from the nineteenth century was hot hasty pudding eating. It combined competitive eating with burning pain. Also, there is (on the BBC, I think) a programme about animal owners, produce farmers, cheese makers et al and their preparations for their local county fair to exhibit whatever it is they brought with them.

[@mrnamelessgamer8945]

Demolition derby’s are always a the biggest thing at my local fairs. I’ve never seen a British person react to one of those, but would love to see it.

[@IcePhoenixMusician]

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve been recommended an Evan edinger video! Hi everyone! I’m loving the video! Bet y’all will too!

[@timglennon6814]

The greatest song on earth. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jnitz1]

It's actually the second greatest song on earth right behind Battle Hymn of the Republic.

[@countesscable]

This is not too dissimilar to the Agricultural Show that he used to go to in a village in South Wales. People salivating over tractors and farm machinery, sheep dogs displays, coiffured cattle and sheep. Giant vegetables and perfect floral displays. Ahh memories.

[@whoatemychocolate]

7:43 That is the exact appropriate reaction to what's happening 😂

[@ruthfrench6637]

I think we used to have things like greased pig chasing and sheep racing (just checked: still done with toys as jockeys) at UK country fairs but they fell foul of animal cruelty and health and safety laws. Which is a good thing. Agricultural fairs are everywhere in the UK but traditionally more about the livestock than entertainment for non-farmers. I went to a couple of the larger ones as a child: East of England Show (played in the school band: 'Hoedown' was very popular) and Royal Show. There's a BBC daytime TV show called The Farmer's Country Showdown which gives me the impression that the livestock judging is still the focus although there's probably more entertainment on offer and that the eating and drinking choices have vastly improved.

[@rowanm3595]

Should have brought her line dancing! found out there’s a wonderful spot for it in Rhode Island and I’ve been hooked 😂😂😂

[@tomrogue13]

In the Midwest it's polka

[@MintChoco-g4f]

This is so out there compared to the UK. The emphasis on agriculture, praying for the kiddy cowboys and cowgirls and singing the National Athen are all so American The closest thing to the county fair is my village’s fair which is very chill with commercial/game stalls of local companies/communities (local church, Scouts/Brownies, charities etc.), simple displays from Scouts (last time there were DIY trebuchets that they had made), overpriced food and drink and a performance from both the primary and secondary schools. To be fair, there is a family day and other days for adults that have more performances from local and fairly famous artists and more alcohol than the family day.

[@TomWilson-ir6uq]

First time seeing one of your videos. I thought it was great,really enjoyed the kids stuff. 😊

[@BirdMorphingOne]

As an expat, this is incredibly nostalgic to watch. There’s definitely nothing quite like a county fair in Japan

[@Bunnybananabunny]

Heather's humour and sarcasm is fantastic🥰

[@DavidTerry-u6y]

Take her to the Minnesota state fair. I go every year all 12 days.

[@AllAboutJeeps79]

The map is hilarious!!! And insanely accurate! LOL😂

[@ThatITBloke]

I grew up in Norfolk in the 80s and the Norfolk Show used to have tractor pulling competitions. All the other stuff was there too, animal showing, vegetable competitions, lawnmowers and lights of tractors. No rodeo though unsurprisingly, sheep or bull. The show continues to this day, but the tractor pulling disappeared many years ago.

[@GuanoLad]

Evan, I think you've earned the right to never have to say "pun intended". All your puns are intended.

[@ContradictingReality]

I'm with Heather that fried pickles are better than funnel cakes, but both are great. And there are totally tractor pulls in the UK!

[@melodiousramblings8470]

Again! Another delightful video! I grew up in tx and always assumed fairs existed in every state but it feels weird to see it in N.Jersey The insane levels of air pollution for the tractor pull 😂😂😂

[@PhillCurtis]

American fairs are bonkers and I'm here for it 😅

[@stephanielastname8271]

i love this style of video!! i had no idea south jersey was so country, seems like something you would see in the deep south lol

[@watchvidjedi]

Fried pickles... *Homer drool* There is a great pub on the Isle of Wight that does them, they are Frickles on the menu!

[@Randomaited]

A classic Glasgow delicacy

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@Randomaited Why do I feel like "fried " is a classic Glasgow delicacy? 😂

[@emmaRBC]

This should be titled "Heather trying not too look too confused" 😆 I love it! Also, I'm always jealous of fair food. It looks good. Funnel cakes sound amazing

[@jasonremy1627]

I love small fairs. It's a great time.

[@pollyduron674]

To be fair, both countries have their share of "weird" things, but it's cool to experience them. She looked like she enjoyed herself. I would love to try more local fairs and that in the UK.

[@sophieirwin3497]

I am a Brit who works at UCLA. My boss is Asian and loves watching the pig cam live stream at Orange County Fair. I never understood the fascination and this video really confirmed I don't understand county fairs

[@amicableenmity9820]

It's just having fun. Not all of them have rodeos either. Some may have livestock shows and most have small amusement rides. There's nothing really to it besides that.

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@amicableenmity9820 I think (and Sophie can correct me if I'm wrong) they understand that it's "having fun", but they were saying they don't understand why people consider these things fun. At least... I'm also confused on that point 😂 "Let's put kids on the back of an animal that will throw them off -- that's fun, right?" Or "let's get a big diesel-powered engine and use it to... pull stuff... yay?" I dunno, I guess you really either have to be Southern and/or grow up with these things to get what's so fun about it. (I would, however, enjoy the food.)

[@higgme1ster]

@@IceMetalPunk What you are seeing is a reflection of real rural life. I'll never forget my oldest brother (RIP) get on the back of the neighbor's hog and ride it around the hog lot until he was dumped into the muck. Mister McKinnon wasn't happy.

[@sophieirwin3497]

@@IceMetalPunk yes that was what I meant, I don't see the appeal. But so long as the animals aren't being hurt, then if that's your thing, great, enjoy your day out

[@notcrazy6288]

We'll claim him. You, however, can go back to Britain until you learn to appreciate culture.

[@B.Evil.C]

I love US unsweetened Ice Tea and always get it when I can when I visit. It is amazing we in the UK cannot easily get it over here.

[@57thorns]

Those were some really friendly bulls, calmed down in a second once they were rid of the rider.

[@mike_w-tw6jd]

electric shocks are used to get them angry at the start of the ride

[@bookmouse2719]

I lived in Colorado for 9 years, they had a rodeo and county fairs. 4th of July fireworks, they had parades with local clubs, groups and was so much fun.

[@alaskabornheathen8902]

I’ve never seen this channel it was just randomly recommended to me lol. That said please take her to an NHRA drag race. Top fuel is simply the best. The exhaust is wild, you don’t need hearing to understand something wild is happening. The sound vibrates the air all around the track.

[@nickmaclachlan5178]

I'm a Brit and have been to a County Fair in rural Pennsylvania back about 35 years ago, the one overriding memory I have is the smell of all the food. Especially Funnel Cake, but the Hot Dogs, Corn Dogs, Candy Apples, Donuts and a host other of deep fried everything else, it still makes me feel hungry now!

[@diane9247]

WHAT? You couldn't find good CORNDOGS there? What on earth is wrong with those people? Oh...New Jersey. Seriously, though, I had no idea there were rodeos and a bible belt in NJ. I loved Heather's side-eye whenever an especially strange American thing would happen. By the way, that last little boy on the sheep who rocketed out of the chute - what a champion, even if he did fall off!🤠

[@ekathird]

LOL! Those fruits were not that large. You guys should come to the Alaska State Fair for the large produce. The winning pumpkin this year (2024) was 2,035 pounds. 😉

[@ryannewman3676]

I’m American, never seen a portable jail cell.

[@Scuzzlebutt142]

I thought the timing of talking about American culture, then having someone going into a Jail cell was thinking "Yeah, that's about right"

[@klimtkahlo]

Darn, sad I never knew about this while I lived in the states! I find these very interesting!

[@spudd86]

As a Canadian this all seemed very familiar up until the national anthem and prayer. That is odd. Also my local fair has a different set of events. No sheep riding or bull riding, or pig scramble. Horse pull, tractor pull, truck pull, demo derby. Various other horse events, barrel racing for example. There is a kids tractor pull, with pedal tractors.

[@IceMetalPunk]

"...up until the national anthem and prayer. That is odd." Unfortunately, it's not even close to odd for the US 😢

[@AmandaFromWisconsin]

@@IceMetalPunk Many Americans would find it odd that you find it "unfortunate". Not me, but many Americans.

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

Half the country would not find it strange. They actually love their freedoms and as a result, their gratefulness is shown through prayer and singing the national anthem. I went to a conservative political event and they said a prayer, recited the pledge of allegiance and sang the national anthem. An event like this is way better than staring at your phone.

[@IceMetalPunk]

@jamesdellaneve9005 You want to explain to me the connection between "I love freedom" and "I will make a bunch of children line up and kneel while I pray for them"? Is it just "I'm legally allowed to indoctrinate children into my particular religion, and I appreciate that"? I may come across as rude, but that's just frustration. Americans seem to think that freedom is both uniquely American and also synonymous with nationalism and religion.

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@AmandaFromWisconsin Obviously; that's why it's not at all odd here. I still find that unfortunate.

[@nicolalocke5360]

As kids in the uk. We visited the old courts in stafford. Upstairs had been turned into a library. Old court still set up. Definitely can say we went in cells. Think it just depends on what is around you in your local history. We spent a lot of time at stafford castle and large churches.

[@charliebrown1184]

America has rodeo, the UK has cheese rolling. I feel like we both have uniquely weird and risky endeavours!

[@SternLX]

When I was a kid in the 70's & 80's me and my brothers LIVED for the annual County Fair in Reno NV. There was always something just so magical about them.

[@CEverett9979]

I guess this means Evan isn't sweet, but is savory.

[@FINNSTIGAT0R]

I just love these "on location" videos! Especially these American ones

[@punkrockzoologist9449]

Surely there has to be a UK equivalent of this going on somewhere in the West Country. A cider-fuelled, traction engine rally somewhere in Devon. Also pig-scrambling is one thing, Gloucestershire folks scramble for cheese. I don't think the Brits have a moral high ground here. Nor do we Aussies tbh.

[@bloodvue]

Why should their be high or low ground

[@IamOllytech]

I completely get it now, no wonder Evan left!

[@jennifermoon3276]

Smarties (at least historically) are produced in Union, NJ.

[@TheMissWin]

Similar to country shows in the UK, just minus the national anthem, praying and animal cruelty. I used to visit Bakewell Show as a kid, would love looking at all the different rabbits and chickens and giant vegetables.

[@wellingtonsmith4998]

out here in Cali my friends did mutton busting back in the 80's, it's a real thing

[@nb594]

Greetings from the New Jersey Shore! There's a fair here in Monmouth county every year at the Freehold fairgrounds. The state fair happens every summer up in the meadowlands. Lots of people in Jersey very serious about having a good time in the summer, without a doubt! It's not the heat, it's the humidity! Bet your girl loves Wawa!