NORWICH – As the Chenango County Fair enters the weekend, the crowds are still plentiful, and the screams are still loud; the food can still be smelled four blocks away, and the lights that bring the county to its feet still light the sky.

For decades the fair has brought joy and excitement to children and adults from all over. Every summer residents far and wide can count on good entertainment, some real fair food, exciting rides, and the many demonstrations and exhibits the fair has offered for the past 159 years.

Although the prices rise to meet higher costs, the crowds still barrel in the gates. Why?

The answer is simple: children. For some, the real heart of the fair is the children who attend it; they guarantee the fair’s existence.

“The kids, that’s what it is all about,” said Fair board member Dave Law. “It’s about education and we really have a lot to offer.”