America is very different than other countries. Although we have many differences, we tend to put them aside each year to come together for a week at The Great New York State Fair. This fair seems to be the one place where Americans forgot life's worries and have some amusement. This amusement includes going on rides, playing games, eating those yummy deep-fried goodies, and trying the weird exoctic food no one thought they would ever eat.

Food is one thing drawing many people to the fair every year because the variety is so great and can be either unsavory or mouthwatering. Some of these foods may include, deep fried oreos, alligator on a stick, waffle bombs, fried olives and many other crazy wild concoctions. Personally, the waffle bombs are my favorite. These mouthwatering treats are strawberries deep fried in this wonderful sugary waffle batter covered in a rich milk chocolate that makes my mouth drool as soon as I see it. According to many Americans though, the number one food choice at the fair is the two-foot long fried bread dough known as “pizza frite”. This dough is deep fried to perfection and coated with just the right amount of powdered sugar. To top the day off,many fair goers will get a delicious fresh-squeezed lemonade.

Rides are a thrill for most youngsters, but for others they may seem terrifying. The rides at the fair provide a sense of adventure and risk. These rides consist of many spinning rides and other rides such as the zipper, the Ferris wheel, the hang gliders, and the bobsleds. Sometimes the rides don’t even have a name, so we call them by their color. For example, we called one ride the blue and orange ride with fun drops. My friends and I had a favorite ride that would go in fast circles while playing the latest hits on the radio. We would get off the ride laughing and with messy hair from how fast we were going. The number one ride for most is the Ferris wheel because it allows us to see the fair in all its glory. Going on this ride at night is definitely a view I never want to miss. From the top of the Ferris wheel I can see how lit up the fair is as well as how many people came to the fair, which on most days is upwards of 90,000.

Americans tend to disagree a great deal about politics, the problems our country is facing at the moment and other worries, but during the time of the state fair we tend to ignore all of that and think only about having fun and enjoying life. At the state fair, people don't care if a person voted for Trump or for Hillary. There is peace among us. Though this peace may only last a week, Americans seem calm and content with the life they are living at that moment. The state fair is one big gathering of Americans, and it allows us to escape from reality for a little while and have some entertainment and relaxation.

The New York State Fair is not only a tradition, it’s a rite of passage. It is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. The fair alway leaves me with so many memories as well as a great desire to experience it all over again next year.