The Bulletin and Redmond Spokesman staff have been volunteering all week to man our booth at the Deschutes County Fair. It is like being a carnival barker for a day, trying to lure passersby over to our display to have some fun, win some prizes and perhaps sign up for a subscription.

But we have a lot to offer kids and adults. The most popular item is our spin art machines. Children create their own 5 x 7-inch piece of art using paints and a spinning piece of paper. Each one is unique looking. It comes with a frame, too. And it’s free.

The machines are so popluar, it feels like one is a short order cook directing the kids on how to use the spin art machines, helping frame the finished product and setting up the machines of the next participant.

Adults can participate in a money grab. That’s an enclosed plastic wind tunnel of sorts that circulates dollars all around them to grab and place in a pouch. It only lasts for 10 seconds, but some have won more than $24. There are lots of other prizes for that attraction.

It’s all free and that’s the fun of it.

We do have special offers for subscribing while you’re waiting for your child to complete their spin art. There’s even a chance to win a $100 gift card.

We also offer a cooling tent adjacent to our booth to get you out of the heat. There, you can speak with a reporter or editor about the paper or any other topic you wish.

And Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Humane Society of Central Oregon will be on hand at our booth with some pets available for adoption.

The Bulletin and Spokesman is as much a part of the community as many other businesses and we want to let people know that at the fair.

So don’t be shy if you’re at the fair today or Sunday. Check us out. It’s for a good cause: Supporting our local journalism.

Thanks for reading,

Gerry O’Brien, Editor