What we'd like to see at the fair

Elephant ears and other deep-fried sweets, fragrant flowers, and even the earthy scent of livestock all combine for a powerful dose of American fairgrounds via the nose.

Children shrieking with joy - and maybe a little terror - loud music 'round every bend, and here and there a full-throated barker all assault the ears in acceptable fashion.

You've got food and drink for every hunger pang and burst of thirst, kaleidoscopes of color and unusual sightings for visual exercise, and a hug from your kids or grandkids after an exhausting, exhilarating day.

There's nothing like the fair, and finally, after a year-long wait, it's here again. The North Idaho Fair and Rodeo opens its doors and its arms to you today.

Just about everything you want to know about this year's festivities on the fairgrounds is contained in the pages of The Press, a special section on the fair inserted in last Saturday's paper, and on the fair's website, northidahofair.com. This year, though, we're hoping to see something we've never seen at the fair before.

A gathering place for all kinds of people, the fair includes nooks where political activists huddle. Some years the Republicans and Democrats are right across from each other. And that gives us an idea.

Blindfolded fist fights? Overhand egg-tossing contest? A card competition to see whose Trump card is bigger? Not at all what we have in mind.

What we'd like to see is more unlikely than the World's Smallest Woman dunking on the rigged free-throw shooting game. But we're going to ask anyhow, and hope that if this does happen, we've got a photographer there at the right time.

We'd love to see partisans from both sides of the political fence cross over and buy each other a beverage. Could be a cold beer. Could be a sarsaparilla. Could be a lemonade or a milkshake. Doesn't really matter.

For the greatest show on Earth - or at least Kootenai County - a public display of political cooperation and consideration might constitute front-page news. We've got the space if your hearts are in the right place.