Meet Me on the Midway: A History of Wisconsin Fairs

 

With Wisconsin county fairs in full swing, I’m pleased to announce that my newest book, Meet Me on The Midway: A History of Wisconsin Fairs is available in a week or so.  It is the story of fairs from their inception going back thousands of years when a fair was partly a religious celebration, and partly a place for buying and selling goods.   The Romans brought fairs to Northern Europe in 200 BC and the emigrants to this country brought the idea for a fair with them.

  A publicist from The Wisconsin Historical Society Press, my publisher, wrote the following about the book:

            Meet Me on the Midway shares the stories of county and state fairs in Wisconsin.  From their earliest incarnations as livestock exhibitions to today’s multitude of exhibits and demonstrations, grandstand entertainment, games and rides, and competitions of all sorts.  Drawing on his extensive research, interviews, and personal experience as a 4-H leader, county extension agent, fair judge and lifelong fairgoer, Jerry Apps takes readers back through 178 years of Wisconsin fair history, covering everything from horse pulling and calf showing contests to the roar of gasoline engines powering the midway rides.  From cream puffs to carousels, he evokes the sights and sound of fairs through the ages while digging into the political and social forces that shaped the fair into an icon of our rural heritage.  Featuring the voices of exhibitors, judges, volunteers, and visitors, Meet Me on the Midway vividly captures the thrills and cherished memories of these beloved annual gatherings.

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I think you will enjoy reading this book.  I had a great time researching and writing about these Wisconsin treasurers.  The book brought back many memories.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Let’s celebrate one of rural America’s oldest institutions: The County and State Fairs.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS:

 MEET ME ON THE MIDWAY: A HISTORY OF WISCONSIN FAIRS, is available later this month. You can buy it at your local bookstore. order online from the Wisconsin Historical Society bookstore, https://shop.wisconsinhistory.org/books, bookshop.org, or purchase from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering, or contact the librarian: barnard@wildroselibrary.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby, visit Dregne’s.  and look at their great selection of my books. Order a book from them by calling 1-877-634-4414. They will be happy to help you.  If you live in northcentral Wisconsin, stop at the Janke bookstore in Wausau (phone 715-845-9648).  They have a large selection of my books.