With the return of the ever-popular carnival rides, the 2009 Santa Cruz County Fair was a big hit with kids and adults.

Rides were enjoyed by all who went to the fair.

By noon on Friday the fairgrounds were overrun with students who received free admission on opening day.

There was no burning daylight for a group of children from the Patagonia Community Montessori School that were lucky enough to make a day out of the field trip.

This allowed ample time to eyeball various exhibits such as the Gray Hawk Nature Center’s hair-raising snake exhibit as well an excavated horse skeleton. Many of the students received ribbons for their own entries. As always, the 4-H tent was a must stop.

“It feels like Velcro,” said one student stroking the back of a rather well-groomed pig. Another child got to hold a rooster for the first time.

Just off from the 4-H pens, one couldn’t miss the colorful shirts donned by a platoon of “carnies” who enticed folks over for a bit of gut-wrenching fun. From Ferris wheels to target shooting, the carnival was a draw for many families looking to wear out the little’uns.

Over the course of the three-day event, visitors were treated to a schedule that offered something for nearly everyone including rodeo events, a Pony Express race, a tractor display and more live music and country food than most could remember in a good while.

One notable culinary tradition at the county fair was true once again this year �“ the 4-H barbecue. It was overseen by longtime area resident and volunteer Bill Piper, this production of wrapping a cut of secretly seasoned beef in foil and a wet burlap sack before cooking it long and slow in a bed of coals �“ proved to pay off as folks filled their plates with barbecue beans and beef that fell off the bone by touch alone.

“This is simply heaven on earth,” said one old cowboy sopping up what was left on his plate with a tortilla before going back for more.

Look for the results from the 4-H auction in next week’s Weekly Bulletin.