County fair season is in full swing in Ohio. I hope all of those who have the chance to get out to the Clinton County Fair this week have a great time. This summer hasn’t exactly given us the clearest skies, but this time of year still provides great opportunities for communities to come together for various events like fairs and festivals.

I serve a mostly rural district that includes four counties—all of Clinton, Highland and Pike, and part of Ross—so there are still plenty more chances for residents of the 91st District to get out to area fairs. Fortunately, they are all spaced out on the calendar to make it easier to visit all four if you choose.

The next opportunity will be in Piketon for the Pike County Fair, which runs July 31-August 8. The Ross County Fair kicks off in Chillicothe immediately following, going from August 8-15. The district’s fair season concludes a few weeks later in Hillsboro, where the Highland County Fair goes from September 5-12.

The administrators, organizers, workers and volunteers who help make these fairs a success every year deserve a lot of credit. The long hours they put into lining up entertainment and getting the fairgrounds ready for visitors go a long way towards showcasing the many great communities throughout the area and providing an economic boost to vendors and other local businesses.

Fairs also give us the opportunity to recognize Ohio’s rich agricultural heritage and to recognize its significance, both economic and cultural, for so many families across the state. I believe it is important to show support for the young people who participate in agriculture-related programs such as FFA and 4-H and who put their skills on display.

For them to see the community coming out and supporting their effort shows them the value of their hard work and will hopefully encourage them to continue seeking and building more skills in the future.

So I want to encourage residents throughout the area and, hopefully, people from all over the state to take some time to visit southwest Ohio and maybe enjoy a few funnel cakes while they’re here.

Ohio Speaker of the House Cliff Rosenberger represents Ohio’s 91st District, which includes Clinton County.