A Fair Ending

On my last weekend in Springfield, I had the opportunity to attend the Illinois State Fair and its parade.  I greatly enjoyed the atmosphere of the fair for a day.  All my senses were activated with the hot weather, smell of fried food, the sounds of live bands, and the view of brightly colored, flashing lights.  We arrived at the fair on veteran's day, which included a parade of veterans and active duty marines.  As usual, running into friends all across the fair, wether they are working or just experiencing the sights, was a joy especially since some were people I have not seen in a long time.  I stayed at the fair through the afternoon and into the night, as the sun went down, but the lights stayed on.  There almost seemed as if there was no need for the sun, every ride and stand was lit up with hundreds of lights that when moving, trace their way across image....enjoy the photos.[slideshow]