Editorial: Integrating technology into local county fairs

New Kent County’s Fair took place this past weekend. With all the wonderful events going on, I could not help but notice that a trend has been going on with the event.

As I weaved my way around New Kent Middle School’s hallways, I noticed the wonderful displays of pictures, canned goods, and crafts on tables as part of the annual “New Kent Sweepstakes.” However, when reviewing the winner’s list, only five people were listed on the sheet, for both adults and the youth division.

While I’m not saying that those were the only participants, it made me wonder if the talents of locals should extend beyond traditional crafts and categories. I’m personally amazed by the vast amount of talent that New Kent has from quilt weaving to painting to the different food grown from garden. However, with the advancement of technology, it may be something to look at in the future to integrate competition that can be geared more toward what youth are more interactive with.

A perfect example could be a 3-D printer competition. I don’t know if they have that competition already, but if they don’t, students can design their creation on a computer to create an image that can be judged. With Heritage Public Library offering classes at least once a month, the venture could be a joint exploration with the county fair.

Another possibility is bringing in technological drawings and designs via computers. An on-site competition is also possible as it allows creative minds to flourish on the spot. I have enjoyed watching the minds of youth flourish once they are handed an idea. I’ve seen my six-year old nephew do a lot with an iPad with his creativity and I know others are capable of doing those same things. Even a coloring competition on a tablet is something so simple but yet can be geared to the next generation.

Technology can also be used for the adults as well. Adults can demonstrate how to create an application (or even have a competition to create a “New Kent County Fair” ad) which could be the modern-day comparison to creating a logo for the county. It’s something that can be so simple that can be integrated with the county fair while still maintaining tradition.

I would like to see youth and adults continue to be involved with hands-on crafts. But as time changes, there is still a way to adapt without having a massive influx where technology takes over everything. Take one step at a time and it’s time for an exploration into merging the past, present, and future.