Cannon Valley Fair stocks up on kid-oriented events

CANNON FALLS — Small seas of blue were scattered throughout the Cannon Valley Fair Monday morning as people took full advantage of the designated “Daycare Day.”

Several dozen kids as young as 3 years old were sporting the same easy-to-spot shirts while their teachers led them from exhibit to exhibit in the scorching heat.

But while the teachers each kept watch over their own small group, it was one young boy who was truly looking out for everybody.

The little guy — animal expert that he was — made sure to warn his classmates about possible dangers as they approached the fair’s kiddie petting zoo.

“We can only pet them if they’re not poisonous,” Noah Berini told the group.

Lucky for them, all of the featured creatures turned out to be poison-free, allowing for lots of up-close-and-personal action with piglets, calves, sheep, ducklings and chicks, among others.

By the time he got a good look at the entire petting zoo, Berini gave the go-ahead for petting, reassuring everyone that there were no safety concerns to be found.

“No mammals are poisonous, and these are all mammals,” he said, citing multiple animal books he has at home.

Berini and the other youngsters are all part of Cannon Kids, a child care run through Cannon Falls Community Education. Since the fair has a specific day allotted for extra entertainment for children, it wasn’t difficult for teachers to decide when Cannon Kids should pay a visit.

Unfortunately, the day didn’t see the greatest of weather.

“It’s so hot that you just can’t do a lot,” teacher Megan Samuelson said as the temperature hovered in the 90s.

Local firefighters were able to give the kids a brief break from the sun when they demonstrated how the trucks — and the hoses — work.

“Of course we got soaked over there,” teacher Kim Howden said. “That was a big hit.”

“They were in seventh heaven,” Samuelson added.

Monday’s fair events also included balloon animals made by Ms. JaZee the clown, a pedal pull competition and an opportunity to learn about amphibians, as well as the more frequently seen kid-friendly activities like carnival rides.

The fair continues through July 4.

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