1930's Lifestyles and Social Trends

World's Fairs


Pastime.

One of the most popular American pastimes of the 1930s was attending fairs. A longstanding tradition, especially in rural areas, fairs took various forms. Many were local events, tied to special holidays; some were county fairs, often celebrating a historical occasion; and many states held fairs, usually annual events. A variety of events took place at these fairs: bartering and trade, especially of agricultural products; cooking competitions; prizes for the fattest hog, the largest tomato, or the longest-jumping frog; exhibitions by schools, community groups, and business; rodeos and other sporting contests; daredevil airplane performances featuring parachutists and wing walkers; and carnival rides of various sorts. Such fairs were an opportunity to express civic pride, social occasions welcomed by isolated rural people, and an opportunity for cheap fun, a rare commodity during the Depression.

(The entire page is 2301 words.)

Want to read the whole thing?

Subscribe now to read the rest of this article. Plus, get access to:

  • 30,000+ literature study guides
  • Critical essays on more than 30,000 works of literature from Salem on Literature (exclusive to eNotes)
  • An unparalleled literary criticism section. 40,000 full-length or excerpted essays.
  • Content from leading academic publishers, all easily citable with our "Cite this page" button.
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee READ MORE