Today is one of my favorite days of the year. It is the opening day of the Wisconsin State Fair. I have loved state fair ever since I was young. In fact, I have gone every year since I was born in 1975. In 1996, as I was making my way through the self-improvement journey I was and am still on, I decided to make a change in my life. I recall standing in the center of fair park, in an are they smartly call ‘central park’, and watching the people go by. It was then a thought occurred to me. “If I am so happy every time I come here, why don’t I come here more often?” That was 1996, and I have been to every day of the Wisconsin State Fair since.

The idea behind this was simple. If I have a lot of fun on one day, wouldn’t I have 11 times that much if I went every day? So far it has proved to be so. Attending with different people, doing different things keeps it fresh and exciting. You learn where all the deals are so that you do not spend so much. Not to mention, the memories you create last a lifetime. I am sure there will be more memories created this year that will be talked about years later. Above was a fun picture that I took with my lovely Margie. Last year, my mother and I relaxed with an iced coffee listening to a band playing tropical music.

Some of the best things are events we did not even know about. Here is my mother and I celebrating the 75th birthday of Smokey Bear, who tragically may not be there this year. Still, like the tropical band, fun foods and drinks and places we have never seen, every year there is some fun surprise waiting for us. This makes the excitement leading up to the Wisconsin State Fair even more exciting. Who knows who we will run into and what we will do? Even we do not!

Whatever it is in your life, find something you love and go all out with it! People often ask me how long I will continue to go to the fair every day. Until it ceases to be fun I suppose. Until then, I am going to cherish every ounce of fun that I can out of the experience. I suggest you do the same. Find something you can look forward to every year. Maybe a fishing trip with the guys, or a shopping trip with the girls. Then again, maybe a fishing trip with the girls or a shopping trip with the guys. Whatever works! Grab some friends or a loved one and start making plans!