Ah, summer.  The season for enjoying nature, barbequing, spending time with family and friends, and hearing the dreaded three words… “Mom I’m bored.”  It seems like mere seconds after my children take that final bus ride home that they’re looking for something to do and looking at me to suggest it.  My usual ideas like clean your room, unload the dishwasher, and vacuum the living room only generate exaggerated eye-rolling, or blank stares followed by, “I’m hungry–what do we have to eat?”  Luckily, there are lots of fun things to do with your kids in Cecil County this summer, most of which are free or very cheap.  Here’s my top ten list:

1.  Dream Big at the Cecil County Public Library and sign up for summer reading.  Kids, teens and adults can win awesome prizes and the library has a variety of entertaining (and free!) summer events for all ages. Click here to search the library’s calendar.

2.  Take a hike on the Blue Trail to Turkey Point Lighthouse at Elk Neck State Park.

3.  Travel back in time with a visit to historic Mount Harmon Plantation.

4.  View the largest gathering of 1964-1972 Chevelles and El Caminos on the east coast at the North East Community Park on June 23.

5.  Make waves at the Canal Fest in Historic South Chesapeake City on June 30.

6.  Enjoy free music on Main Street (corner of North and Main) in Elkton every Thursday evening from 5:30-7:30 pm.

7.  Learn about life during the war of 1812 at Elkton United Methodist Church where living history actors will speak in character as Francis Scott Key, Rosalie Stier Calvert, and Mary Pickersgill.  Audiences will have the opportunity to interact with the characters in a question and answer session following the performances. July 6-8, from 4-6 pm.

8.  Attend the 59th Annual Cecil County Fair July 20-28 and make sure to stop by the Cecil County Public Library’s booth!

9.  Drop by Hart’s Peach Festival for music, puppets, and peach goodies at Hart’s Amphitheater in North East. August 11 from noon-4 pm.

10.  Cruise to the Cecil County Dragway.

What are your best ideas for summer fun in Cecil County?

County fairs may seem corny, but they’re what America is all about—a  big melting pot of talents and home-grown skills showcased in a magical summer setting.

The Cecil County Fair is just about perfect – nine days of heaven in the rolling green of Fair Hill, spanning July 22nd-30th.

Years ago, I took a photo of the Fair on a warm Sunday night.  The sun was setting over the midway and all the carnival rides were lit up and whirling with sounds of children screaming and cavorting in delight, the sky as pink as cotton candy. The scene was perfect with a last-light glow silhouetting the Ferris wheel towering up to the clouds.  Everywhere there was movement, with families strolling among the rides and carnival game barkers challenging passersby to “step right up and win a prize!”; a feast for the senses with pizza and fried food scenting the air, and the warm summer night beckoning with a promise of something special for everyone.  It was a golden moment.

And there is something for everyone at the fair.  Where else can you find entertainment as fantastic and diverse as a lawn mower race, cow chip toss, rodeo, pie-eating contest, greased pole climb, demolition derby, and the 4H Pygmy Goat show? It may seem a throwback to a forgotten era, the fact that a kid can win a blue ribbon for raising a chicken—but what a great way to develop an appreciation for agriculture and what it contributes to America.

Of course, your friendly Cecil County Public Library will be there!  Stop by the library booth located in the building just off the midway.  There’s a craft for the kids to do, a county geography game to play, a guessing game with a prize of a $50 Walmart gift card, and a FREE BOOK for everyone! We’ll be there every evening throughout the fair as well as Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

On Monday, July 25th at 10:30 am, stop in for a special library program for kids at the stage just past the barns. We’ll be celebrating our summer reading theme “One World, Many Stories” with special songs and dances.

So come meet us at the Fair to experience a slice of Americana that will make you proud of your country!  Visit the Fair’s website for more info and directions.

What’s YOUR favorite thing about the Fair?