County fair season has officially kicked off, and I couldn’t be more excited! As someone who works for a radio station, I’m incredibly lucky to attend five county fairs each summer: Yellow Medicine in Canby, Chippewa in Montevideo, Stevens in Morris, Swift County Fair in Appleton, and Lac qui Parle in Madison.

 
At each of these fairs, you’ll find a KLQP booth, and you can usually find me there every day. I really look forward to broadcasting live and interviewing so many different people. But my absolute favorite part is meeting all the wonderful folks who tune in to our station. I get to hear their stories firsthand and learn why they listen to Q-92 and what programs they enjoy. We truly have some of the most loyal listeners!

A couple of stories always stick with me. One time, while I was chatting with people in the booth, an elderly couple approached me. They asked who I was, and I told them, “I’m Paul Raymo.” The woman’s eyes widened in surprise, and she exclaimed, “So this is what you look like!” I playfully responded, “Yes, but you look disappointed!” She admitted she was, and when I asked if she expected a tall, dark, and handsome man, she laughed and said, “Well, yes!” We all shared a good laugh, and her giggle was the best.

Another time, a couple from Clarkfield told me that every Saturday afternoon, they go out and sit in their car in the driveway just to listen to the Polka Show. I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s dedication!”

I truly love connecting with people at county fairs. It’s become a tradition for me, especially at the Yellow Medicine County Fair and the Swift County Fair, to take photos or selfies with the same people every year. Just this week in Canby, I met up with Mya Pesek to do our annual interview about her 4H projects and, of course, snap a selfie. My very first interview with Mya at the fair was when she was in kindergarten, and this week she’s starting her sophomore year at Canby. That’s pretty cool, and she’s really grown into a wonderful and kind young lady.

Another cherished tradition is at the Swift County Fair in Appleton. I’ve been asked to be a pie judge again, and I absolutely love it! I’ve been doing that for years.

And then there’s the traditional Ribfest picture with my friends Dale Lien and Pat and Dick Krebs, all of us enjoying our ribs! It makes for a great selfie every year.

Being at county fairs and surrounded by people truly energizes me. There’s so much food, fun, and entertainment to enjoy. So, if you see me at the fair, please stop and say hi – and maybe even bring me a corn dog!