Two weeks from today on what we hope is a sunny and inviting Kentucky summer afternoon, our state will be host to an annual political tradition we call Fancy Farm. Fancy Farm is Kentuckys political equivalent of the ancient legal practice of trial by ordeal. If you survive, you are free to continue and presumed worthy. But you will never forget the ordeal you had to endure. Fancy Farm is probably Americas last vestige of pre-modern political performances. To succeed you need two parts talent; three parts ambition; one part courage; and two and a half parts temporary insanity. Here is a piece I wrote last year about my political trial by ordeal in 1995, listed by the C-J as one of the more memorable Fancy Farm moments. It is less about me personally and mostly about trying to capture and encapsulate the essence of experiencing Fancy Farm. But beyond all the tall tales about Fancy Farm, the sound and fury that occur before, during and after each years classic event, does signify something. What exactly, however, no one is sure. So we keep coming back in hopes of finding out. Maybe we will unravel the mystery this year. Or maybe not. Most likely Fancy Farm 2014 will again simply be another irresistible spectacle combining good will and good cheer; characters and charisma; blowhards and barbecue; high political drama and low brow political tactics all swirling within the context of a political orgy sponsored by St Jeromes church. In the deep recesses of Western KY. Where real politicians picnicking and politicking face to face with real constituents still matters. At least for a short weekend. Fancy Farm was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Worlds largest picnic. Fancy Farm is worthy of Guinness status --for something. But calling it merely a picnic is like calling Pamplonas annual Running of the Bulls a traditional tourist walk through a city. Perhaps the main attraction of both events is getting to see the people who have volunteered to participate in these curious historic events that seem to celebrate the human spirit. Fancy Farm is something to see and should be seen at least once by every Kentuckian and every American who is a non-Kentuckian but who happens to be a political junkie. Happy Fancy Farm 2014!! May 2014s political picnic live up to its grand and gaudy tradition --.and just a little bit more this year. Because this time, the nations most defining political race may well hang in the balance. Al Cross; Jonathan Miller therecoveringpolitician/contributors/jyb3/john-y-brown-iii-fancy-farm-memories
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 22:07:24 +0000
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